Love in Bunnyburrow
by Borneman
Summary: (Prev. Title: Gideon and Mary). One sunny Saturday morning, a certain black sheep from his past walks into Gideon Grey's bakery. Life in Bunnyburrow will never be the same. AN: I did not know her name was actually Sharla when I started writing this, but Mary/Sharla is the same sheep.
1. Piece of pie

_Ok, I cannot resist a good forbidden love story. I really wanted to explore Gideon more as a character, and I wanted to give him a love story. And since Judy is taken (well, not yet, but we know WildeHopps is gonna happen), I gave him someone else. She makes a small appearance in the movie, but not much is said about her, so I had to make a lot of it up. Hope you like it! Chap 2 is already in the making :)_

* * *

 **Chap 1: Piece of Pie**

Gideon Grey loved Saturday mornings. Customers would come in happier than usual, and stay longer than necessary enjoying a piece of pie and coffee. It was the middle of August, so his carrot pies where best sellers, as they were every August. When Halloween approached, it would be pumpkin pies topping the menu.  
He liked the predictability of Bunnyburrow, the change of the seasons, the days of the weeks rolling by at a familiar pace. His bakery business had dwindled a little during the whole night-howler-affair in Zootopia, but his partnership with the Hopps and their daughter's key involvement in solving the case had quickly restored his customer base. It had even grown a little; he had had to hire extra help in the bakery so he could keep it open even when he had to run deliveries or pick up supplies.

The bell over the bakery-door chimed happily as it announced a new customer. A black sheep stepped hesitantly through the door; her dark wool was gathered in a pon-pon like bun at the back of her head with a blue ribbon, perfectly matching her eyes. Gideon did not recognize her at first, thinking she must be from out of town. But then she met his eyes and shrank away, not much, just a little twitch of her pale pink nose and slight shrinking of her shoulders, but it was enough for him to bring the memories back. Mary Fields, one of Judy's old friends. He had not seen her since he dropped out of High School.  
He had stolen her tickets once at the Carrot Days when they were kids, and been a bully towards her whenever he could; she had been such an easy target. He had even talked Travis into sheering off the wool on her arm once. She had worn long sleeves for weeks in the middle of summer until it grew out again.

"Gideon" she gave him a forced smile, straightening her shoulders as she walked up to the counter. He had had it built lower than standard fox-height to accommodate all his shorter customers, so Mary could easily look over it and up at him.  
"I heard you opened up a bakery business, it's really nice" she said while fiddling nervously with the shoulder strap of her purse.

She really did not want to be here. When her parents had asked her to fix the order for her uncle's surprise birthday party while they were out of town, she had been happy to. Until she found out who owned the bakery. Gideon Grey had been part of the reason why she had decided to go to College outside Bunnyburrow. Now, standing face to face with her old bully, she was determined to stay civil and not be frightened.

She had to admit that he did not look very frightening in his green-checkered shirt and blue apron. His bangs where slightly tussled and the fur on his forearms where white with flour. However, he was still broad shouldered and stood nearly two feet taller than her. His teeth where still sharp, and he was still a fox.

"Mary…" he said uncertainly, as if he did not recognise her. "Um, yeah, thank you. So what can I do you for today?" Gideon snapped back from the past and reminded himself that she was a customer. He could see she was a little afraid of him still, even though she hid it well; a familiar ball of guilt began forming in his stomach.

"I would like to order six pies for Monday morning please" her well- rehearsed line came out sounding just like that, rehearsed.  
"Six? You having a party?" he raised an eyebrow at her. He had used to do the exact same thing when he thought she said something stupid in class. It made her nervous.  
"Yea. My uncle Jonas is turning 60, and we are throwing him a surprise party at my parent's house. He is coming for breakfast Monday morning, and we'll all be there and he doesn't know a thing. So don't say anything" she always talked too much when she was nervous. She went back to fiddling with her purse strap, feeling her nose growing a darker shade of pink as Gideon laughed a little.  
"I'll keep my pie hole shut" Mary almost giggled at the unexpected joke.

"So" Gideon brushed the flour of his fur and found the book he kept his orders in "What were you thinking for filling?"  
"Well, at least three with apple. They're his favourite. The other three I'm, or my parents rather, are undecided on"  
"Ok" Gideon leaned over the counter toward her, the tip of his pen on his chin. "Carrots are always popular this time of year, but blueberry is my personal favourite. Then there is cranberry, pear, strawberry and orange-marmalade. Or if you want something else entirely; you name it, I'll bake it!" he tried on a friendly smile, careful to keep his mouth shut to hide his teeth.  
A small nervous laugh escaped Mary before she could stop it. He instantly wanted to hear it again.  
"I guess blueberries sounds nice"  
"You want that delivered?" he said while writing down her order.  
"Oh, no need. I have a car" she dangled her keys in front of him, and immediately felt foolish about it, putting them back in her purse.  
"I can have them done by tomorrow afternoon if you like? So you don't have to pick them up so early on Monday"  
"Oh, if it's not too much trouble?" she said while she fumbled with her wallet.  
"No trouble" he assured her. "That'll be 55,60"

* * *

Mary was properly flushed when she stepped out of the bakery. Everything had gone much better than expected; he had been perfectly nice, funny even, nothing to be afraid off. Still, she had a nervous knot in her chest that just would not go away.


	2. Rain

_Note: Appears that I have been a little lacking in the research department and that Mary's character is actually called Sharla in the movie. But, for me and this story, she will continue as Mary. But thanks to luciayshadow for the correction :)_

* * *

 **Chap 2. Rain**

Sunday had started out as nice sunny day, the trees just starting to change into their autumn colours. At noon the clouds had come in, promising a proper downpour. The first drops had started falling onto her windshield as her rusty old car coughed to a stop just two blocks from Gideon's bakery.  
"No, no, no" Mary tried the ignition several times before hitting her forehead against the steering wheel. "Dammit"  
Glancing up at the dark sky, she only hesitated a moment before grabbing her overnight bag and running the last two blocks to the bakery, holding the bag over her head.

Gideon almost dropped a tray of cookies as Mary came dashing through the front door. There were no other customers, as he was not usually open for business on Sundays. He only came in to bake everything he needed for the start of a new week.

She had managed to beat the worst downpour, but her nose was flushed a dark pink from the running, standing out against her otherwise dark wool. More a dark brown than black he noticed, wondering why he had not seen that before.

"You all right?" Gideon put the tray down and made his way around the counter.  
"Sorry" she panted as she sat down in the cushioned window seat.  
"My car broke down, can't get it to start again… Oh, Thanks" she looked up in surprise as a glass of water was held out to her. She took a big gulp before she continued.  
"I'll have to come get the pies tomorrow morning, I don't have any other car I can borrow. Sorry for the extra trouble"  
"No trouble" he smiled at her "I.. I could drive you to your parent's house if you like" he added. "You and the pies that is"  
Mary hesitated a moment, the nervous knot in her chest was back.  
"But I haven't paid for the delivery"  
"It's on my way, I'm going down to the Hopps farm anyway" that was a lie, but he wanted her to let him do her this favour. To do something kind. The tight ball of guilt kept growing in his stomach. Not an hour had passed since yesterday morning without him remembering a time when he had pushed her or said something mean.

"Well.. if it's no trouble, I would be grateful for a lift. It's really pouring down now" she gave him a nervous smile and glanced out the window where the rain was tapping rhythmically on the pavement.

Gideon felt his tail doing a little happy flip before he could stop it.  
"The van is out back, I'll just pack up the pies and we're ready to go" he said as he disappeared into the kitchen.

When she opened the door into the back alley where he said his van was parked, Mary could not help but laugh. She did not know exactly what she had expected Gideon Grey's van to look like, but she had not expected pink! It was pink, with a smiling pie stencilled on it and _Gideon Grey's Good Baked Stuff_ written above and under it in two different fonts.  
"What's funny?" Gideon came up behind her, pie boxes stacked high in his arms. She quickly tried to subdue her laughter, but did not quite succeed in getting the smile of her face.  
"It's just… not what I expected" Gideon raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "I mean, you were, or are, so tough and, and its cute, and the smiling pie and…." She trailed off, feeling stupid.

For some reason, Gideon's head could not stop repeating _you are so tough,_ and he felt his chest swell up a little.

Mary expected him to be mad for making fun of his van, instead he smirked at her and said: "I bet you can't guess who made and painted that" gesturing to the pie and slogan on the van with his head.

"Mrs. Hopps, maybe? Who?" Mary was actually a little curious.  
"Travis"  
Gideon was not disappointed as Mary's laughter filled the alley again, bouncing between the buildings only slightly muffled by the rain.  
"Travis, the ferret Travis?" she managed between laughs. "You're joking!"  
"I'm not joking" he said as he started putting the pies on the racks in the back of the van.  
"He got a job at the garage down by the Beaver Dam, gave me a discount and everything. Said that it needed to be very cute and… non-threatening, I think was the words he used, to make up for the fact that I'm a predator" he jumped in behind the wheel, popping open the passenger door for her to climb in.

Mary was not laughing, or even smiling, as she fastened her seatbelt, putting her overnight bag on the empty seat between them. Afraid he had said something to upset her, he tried to change the subject.

"Whatcha doin back in town anyway? Not just for your uncle's birthday I guess?"  
"I've been back for a few weeks actually, I'm a teacher at Bunnyburrow Elementary now" a small smile back on her face "Fourth grade math and science"  
"About where I stopped understanding math and science" Gideon smiled as Mary tried to suppress a chuckle. He was really starting to like the sound of her laugh.  
"Sorry, didn't mean to laugh at you" she said slightly embarrassed.  
"Nah, don't be. All that talk about how sly and clever we foxes are, and here I am, all dumb and slow" he thickened his accent as if it proved his point.  
"Don't say that" Mary said softly, looking down at her lap.  
"It's true" Gideon shrugged as he drove out of town and down the muddy road towards her parent's house. "Didn't even last a year before dropping out of high school"  
"That does not mean your dumb or slow"  
"Maybe not, but it's not helping"  
"You are running your own business! You got to have some skills to do that"  
"Yeah, got lucky there. Got work at Badger Bakery after I dropped out, and when old Badgy wanted to retire, I got to buy it from him cheap. Ovens and everything"

Mary was quiet for a while, listening to the rain hitting the van and the steady rumbling of the engine. Something had bothered her since they drove from the bakery.  
"Gideon, can I ask you something?"  
"Sure"  
"Was it though, you know, during the whole Night-howler thing?"

He had not expected that question, his ears fell back and he looked like he was not going to answer, but he did, although a little tense.  
"Nah, business was bad for a couple of months, but I had some savings" he was gripping the wheel a little tighter, concentrating on the road. She thought he would leave it at that, but he continued in a lowered voice:  
"Prey didn't want to be near me, save the Hopps family. Even some preds avoided me, probably figured since I had been so violent in my youth I was more likely to go savage" he said the last word so silently, she almost did not hear it. Mary had never seen Gideon sad, it made her want to slide over and give him a hug.  
"I'm sorry I asked, if you don't want to talk about it.."  
"No, its fine" he gave her a small smile.  
"Anyway, the Hoppses where great, probably them who saved the bakery. Jane and Simon, two of the oldest, even came in to work with me. Two nice young bunnies in the front, and mammals would forget the fox baking in the back" he fell silent for a while again before adding:  
"Some kids smashed my windows and covered everything in ketchup one night. Took me forever to clean up. Was after that Jane and Simon decided to help out"  
"That's horrible!" Mary exclaimed shocked. "I don't understand how some mammals can be so mean to others who've done nothing to them"

Gideon knew she did not mean him, but he felt the comment like a slap in the face anyway.  
"Yea, well, they were just kids. Kids do stuff they regret when they grow up"  
The air felt thick between them as he drove in and parked in the Fields' driveway.

The rain came down with no mercy now, drops big enough to knock a field mouse off its feet. Gideon dashed after Mary through the small front garden towards the patio, hoping to save the pies before the cardboard boxes soaked through.  
Out of the rain, he carefully placed the pies on the patio table while Mary started looking through the flowerpots for her parent's spare key.  
Gideon watched her as she climbed patio chairs and lifted pots, absentmindedly trying to smooth out her wool, puffing up in the humid air.  
"Can't find the key?"  
"No" she was holding her arms around herself, shivering. The wool on her head, usually held back by her blue ribbon, was springing free and framing her face, puffing up around her ears. Gideon was suddenly reminded of cotton candy at the state fair, and began wondering if it was possible to make brown cotton candy. Chocolate flavoured cotton candy perhaps?

"You can just drive back, I don't mind waiting alone. My parents will be home in a couple of hours tops"

"It's no trouble.." he began, until he remembered that maybe she did not want to be alone with him longer than necessary, a fox and her former bully, with no one else around for miles. "I… I have a blanket in the van, just let me get that for you" he ran back to get the quilted blanket he always kept behind the driver's seat.

Without thinking, he shook out his fur before handing her the blanket, making water drops fly everywhere.  
"I wish I could do that" Mary sighed as she put the blanket around her shoulders. Even folded in half, it almost reached her ankles.  
"Do what?"  
"Just shake the water out of my wool. I look so foolish when it gets wet or humid, or both" she smiled up at him, trying to smooth it down again.  
"I think you look lovely" the words had come out before he had time to think. He knew he should not have, he had no right to. But his arm went out of his own accord and he brushed his paw over the dark wet curls hanging over her forehead.

Mary stood as if frozen, eyes widening as he brushed his paw over her head, down to cupping her cheek, stroking his thumb under her eye. It was just a moment, a couple of seconds, and then the spell was broken.  
"Gideon.." her breath caught in her throat as she took a step back, out of his reach.

Gideon stood there, feeling like a complete idiot. He hated the way she backed away from him, eyes wide, clutching the blanket protectively around herself.  
"S,sor, I'm sorry, I…" he stuttered. They stood in silence for a couple of long seconds, trying to make sense of what had just happened.  
"It's ok" Mary finally whispered, trying to relax her shoulders.  
"No, it's not" Gideon said firmly, keeping his eyes on the floorboards between them in order to keep his voice steady.  
"I scare you, and that is not ok. And I'm sorry" he swallowed the lump in his throat away.  
"I'm sorry I stole your tickets at the Carrot Days in fifth grade" he continued in a lowered voice. Mary glanced up in surprise, looking at his bowed head.  
"I'm sorry for all the times I pushed you. And I'm sorry for all the times I was mean to you and your friends"

Mary was too stunned to muster an answer; she just looked at him as she let his apology sink in.

When she did not say anything, but just kept staring at him, Gideon took it as a clear sign he should leave.  
"You can keep the blanket" he said over his shoulder as he walked back into the rain.


	3. Apology accepted

_As you have probably noticed, I am trying to keep a one chapter a week schedule. I will try my best to keep it, for the time being I have a good flow of inspiration, but if I hit a dry spell, it make take more than one week between chapters. And thank you so much for the comments, I really appreciate it =)_

* * *

 **Chap 3: Apology accepted**

Gideon drove until he could not see the house anymore before stopping on the shoulder of the road. He crossed his arms over the steering wheel, resting his head on his forearms.  
"Stupid, stupid fox" he growled. He wanted to hit something, or someone, preferably himself.  
She _had_ looked lovely; big blue eyes beautifully contrasted by her dark wool, wrapped in his too large blanket. The unexpected need to touch her had hit him out of nowhere, giving him no time to stop himself.  
The way Mary had looked at him; she had been scared. He knew that look so well, had liked it when he was younger. Making others fear him had once made him feel powerful, now it hurt like the sting of a whip.

Putting the van back into gear, he drove back to town, faster than strictly safe on the muddy roads.

* * *

Mary stood dumbfounded on the porch, watching Gideon's pink van disappearing in the rain. She reached up to her cheek, still feeling a little warmth where his paw had been. _I think you look lovely._

He had looked so sincere, so truly sorry. And all she had done was stand there mute, not acknowledging his apology at all. She clutched the quilted blanket tighter around herself, it smelled of pastry and bread and jam. Gideon was not the bully she remembered. He seemed nice and funny and…. gentle, she thought as she touched her cheek again.

Letting out a sigh, Mary sat down on the porch steps and waited for her parents to come home.

* * *

Monday was hectic for Mary. In addition to the breakfast for her uncle, she had to help plan a field trip to the flour mill for all the fourth and fifth graders. They had been learning about harvest times and agriculture over the last few weeks, and the trip would be their reward for doing well on the subject- test. Mary would mostly help keep an eye on the kids, and organising the practicalities like transportation and lunch. Other teachers would handle most of the curriculum, but it was still a big task for the freshly graduated teacher.

Unpacking her overnight bag after work, she found Gideon's blanket rolled up inside. She had forgotten all about it during the day. It was well made, with square patches of pale blue, yellow and pink quilted neatly together in diamond shapes, the edges trimmed with a cornflower-yellow ribbon. She imagined his grandmother must have made it, or maybe his mother.

It was probably wrong of her to keep it, she figured. He had most likely just meant to loan it to her, and then said she could keep it because he felt guilty. Giving it back to him in person was surly the right thing to do. In addition, she never thanked him properly for the free delivery.

That evening she took the now newly washed and neatly folded blanket under her arm and walked in direction of Main Street. Gideon's bakery was on the narrow Market Street running parallel to Main Street. It was a good location, perfect if you wanted to have a break from your shopping, or if you were on your way from the farmers marked on Saturdays.

She spotted him through the bakery windows as she came down the alley connecting the two streets. As she drew closer, she found herself slowing down, suddenly feeling a little nervous.  
He was cleaning up inside the bakery, the CLOSED sign hanging on the door. Mary had not realised how late it was and for a moment wondered if it would be better to come back tomorrow. Gideon was straightening chairs and tables, sweeping the floor as he went. The image of him all alone, picking up broken glass and mopping up ketchup suddenly came to her mind.

* * *

Gideon was glad the day was over; he had tried his best to be cheerful towards customers, but the smile felt strained on his face. He had trouble concentrating, burning a whole batch of chocolate chip and mint cookies. All he could think about was Mary on the porch. He played the scene in his head on repeat, wishing he could go back and do it over again.  
He was sure his apology did not matter, and he felt his heart sink as he imagined Mary telling her parents, and them telling the Hopps.

As he was about to start switching off the lights, he heard a soft tapping on the glass door. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Mary standing there with a careful smile on her face, her ears nervously twitching.

"Hi" Mary said as Gideon opened the door. "I didn't mean to disturb you after closing time, but I wanted to give this back" she held the blanket out to him. He looked at it as if he did not recognise it.  
"I washed it" she added when he did not show any indication of taking it back.  
"I said you could keep it" he finally managed, but took it from her outreached arms anyway.  
"I just thought you were being polite, you know, since you… Anyway, it's a beautiful quilt"  
"Yeah" Gideon was lost for words. Now that she was standing in front of him again he felt his whole body go restless, as if standing close to her without touching her was a waste of time. He firmed his grip on the door-handle and blanket, keeping his paws occupied. It was getting dark, and the streetlights flickered on, bathing her in a soft yellow light. Gideon felt his mouth turn dry.  
Mary was fumbling with the fabric of her skirt, trying to find a way to formulate what she wanted to say.  
"I just wanted to say thank you for the ride and free delivery" she tried to look him in the eyes, but ended up talking to one of his shirt buttons. "And, apology accepted, from yesterday"  
"What? Really?" Gideon said baffled.  
"Yes. We were just kids back then, and there is no reason why we cannot be friends now, so…" she trailed off, not knowing what more to say.  
He should probably have kept his mouth shut at this point, but he needed to make sure.  
"And… For what I did yesterday, for the…" the word _caress_ popped into his mind, but he could not make himself say it. Instead, he just did a half-hearted gesture with his paw in the air.

Mary's nose flushed a little "Oh…" _I think you look lovely._ "Don't think about it"  
Gideon breathed out in relief "It won't happen again" he promised.  
Mary nodded, feeling I tiny flutter of disappointment in her chest.  
"So, friends?" she smiled, reaching out her hoof.  
"Yea" he took her small smooth cloven hoof in his paw. "Friends" he smiled back at her.  
"Well" Mary nervously smoothed out her skirt. "You probably have an early start tomorrow as well. So I'll be heading back home" she said as she walked down the stairs "I guess I'll see you around"  
"Yea, see you around"  
Turning to walk back to the alley, she glanced back over her shoulder "Good night Gideon"  
"Good night Mary" He watched her turn the corner up Main Street before closing the door.

* * *

Gideon lived in a small apartment above the bakery, accessed by an external staircase in the back alley. It was just one room with a bed and a small kitchenette, and a tiny bathroom in the back. It was nothing fancy, but it was enough for him; not having to live under the same roof as his father anymore was even worth living in a wardrobe.  
He let himself fall backwards onto his bed, smiling up at the ceiling fan, not bothering to turn on the lights. He felt light-headed, as if he had been holding his breath a little too long. Rolling over on his side, he hugged the blanket to his chest, inhaling deeply. It smelled mostly of some apple-scented detergent, but her scent was still there. Gideon let out a content sigh, letting her scent fill his lungs as he drifted off to sleep.


	4. Field trip

_Chapter four! And for those of you wanting a Nick and Judy appearance: I hear you, I will try to fit them in somewhere in future chapters. Hope you enjoy the story so far :)_

* * *

 **Chap 4: Field trip.**

"Stay in your pairs, kids!" the old goat called out as she led the long trail of fourth and fifth graders down to the mill. Mary followed behind, keeping an eye on a young rabbit reluctantly paired up with a light grey wolf cub.

The Bunnyburrow flourmill was idyllically situated by the river. Its old-fashioned water wheel still turning in the stream, even though the mill had long since been upgraded with a more modern engine. A new road making it possible to drive down for delivery trucks and other cars forked out of the main road; however, the teachers and the kids were walking down the old cart road. Coming down the grassy hill, they were treated to a picturesque view of the mill and the river winding its way down between grassy hills towards Beaver Dam.

Mary's heart skipped a beat as she noticed a familiar pink van in the mill's parking lot. She almost thought she saw a spot of orange fur when a loud yelp made her snap her head back to the kids. With her attention diverted, a scuffle had broken out.

"Hey! You stop that right this instant!" two young rams had pushed the wolf cub down; one of them was trying to pry his lips apart. Giving herself a mental scolding for becoming distracted, Mary took a hold of the young ram and pulled him away.  
"What kind of behaviour is this Darryl?" she demanded sternly. "And don't think I didn't see you helping, Paul"  
"He wouldn't show us his teeth" Darryl answered defiantly. "I've never seen wolf fangs afore"  
"And what made you think it was OK for you to force him if he didn't want to?" the young ram did not answer, just looked away in disobedience.  
"That's not the way to treat your classmates. You apologise to Benjamin right now, the both of you"

The two rams mumbled an inaudible "Sorry" to the wolf as they passed him, re-joining the front of the group. Benjamin sat on the grass, trying his best not to cry as Mary knelt down in front of him.  
"You all right Benjamin?" the wolf cub just nodded, but tears started to stream down his cheek.  
"It's ok" Mary said as she patted the young wolfs shoulder.  
"I hate it here" he muttered.  
"I know it must be tough being the new kid, but you'll make friends in time" Mary tried to sound encouraging, but it had already been a month, and Benjamin was still alone a lot when she saw him. Being the only wolf in Bunnyburrow elementary, he naturally had a hard time fitting in. Trying to cheer him up she added:  
"You know, you were really being the bigger mammal; not striking back" Mary gave him an approving smile.  
"Mommy told me not to" he said solemnly, wiping his nose with his sleeve.  
"Mommy told me, if the other kids beat me, I must never claw or bite or do anything."  
Mary fell silent; his mother told him to let the other kids bully him? She reminded herself to mention it to Claudia; it was probably something she should address at the next parent-teacher meeting.

The bunny paired up with Benjamin had run to his other friends, so Mary took the young wolf's paw, leading him down the hill to join the others, who were lining up in the parking lot.  
Claudia, the cheetah in charge of the fourth graders, quickly agreed to let Benjamin stay in front with her after Mary silently filled her in on the episode. Leaving Benjamin in the capable hands of the senior teacher, Mary started to do a last headcount to make sure no one had wandered off on their walk down.

"Gideon Grey!" Mary spun around at the sound of the old goat's raspy voice. "My, my, haven't you grown!" Mary's heart skipped again as she saw Gideon standing at the front of the group, carrying a big sack of flour over his shoulder. He was wearing blue overalls and a green and white baseball cap, looking a bit rougher than usual. "H,hi Mrs. Marnie" he said surprised, Mary thought he even sounded a little nervous.  
"Mind your manners!" the old goat tsk'ed at him "Not taking your hat of when greeting a lady"  
Gideon looked properly flustered as he quickly dropped the heavy burlap sack to the ground, sending up a big white cloud of flour.  
"Sorry. Good morning Mrs. Marine" he repeated, baseball cap in hand.  
"That's better" Mrs. Marnie said. "See kids, I had this young fox in school as well" Mary could swear some of the kids shot him sympathetic glances.  
"You were ill-mannered back then as well" Mrs. Marnie said sternly, turning back to Gideon. Mary could see how uncomfortable he was, ears flat to his head as the old goat scolded him as if he was ten years old again.  
"Gideon and I were in the same class" Mary loudly informed the group of kids, taking their attention away from Mrs. Marnie before she could continue. "And now he's a baker. He owns the bakery in town. Isn't that right Gideon?"  
Gideon was both embarrassed and relieved to hear Mary's voice interrupting his old teacher.  
"Yea, that's right" Gideon sent her a thankful smile, though not enjoying the forty or so pairs of curious eyes on him.  
"He is here getting flour for his pies and cookies, and we are going to see just how they make that flour from wheat from our farms" she smiled at the kids. Sending Claudia a meaningful glance. Te cheetah quickly took over.  
"Well kids, let's head inside shall we. Fourth grade with me, fifth grade follow Mrs. Marnie"

Trailing behind the kids again, Mary slowed down as she approached Gideon.

"Thanks" Gideon whispered as Mary walked up to him. "I swear, she still scares me that one"  
Mary gave a little laugh "Understandable. Though I never imagined you to be scared of anything when we were kids"  
"Well I was" he put his baseball cap back on. A thin layer of flour coated his overalls and shirt. Without thinking, Mary reached up and straightened his shirt collar, dusting the worst of the flour away.  
Gideon stood completely still, feeling Mary's small effective hooves brushing over the fur on his neck. He felt something flutter in his chest as he looked down on her standing on the tips of her hoofs to reach up, her eyes concentrated on his shirt.

Mary glanced up, meeting Gideon's mild blue eyes above her. She quickly took a step back as she realised the intimacy of what she was doing.  
"Your collar was crooked" she explained meekly, feeling a little flushed.  
"It'll be again in a minute, but thanks" Gideon smiled warmly at her; it made her nose flush even more.  
"I need to go" she nodded towards the crowd of schoolchildren walking towards the entrance. "I'll see you later" she smiled at him.  
"Yea" Gideon easily flung the heavy sack of flour back over his shoulder "See you Mary". He watched her herd the remaining group of kids inside. A small smile played on his lips as he smoothed his paw over his shirt collar, feeling the flutter in his chest growing stronger.

* * *

Inside the spacious entrance hall, which was what was left of the old flourmill, Mrs. Marnie shoot her a suspicious glance.  
"You friendly with the fox?" her eyes narrowed to match her slit pupils.  
"Gideon? Yes, we're friends, or just acquainted really" Mary answered wearily.  
"I remember when you all were kids, bullied you something fierce that one"  
"We were just kids, time passes. He is perfectly nice now" Mary said, glancing over her shoulder at Gideon walking back to his van.  
"A fox is a fox" Mrs. Marnie snorted. "Never turn your back on a fox, not to be trusted"  
"Marnie!" Mary said shocked, looking around to make sure none of the kids heard her talking like that. "That is not true, Gideon Grey is.."  
"I'm just telling you like it is girlie" Mrs. Marnie cut her off. "They may act all polite, and nothing wrong in being polite in return. But never turn your back on a fox" Mrs. Marnie warned her as she walked towards the front of the group to Claudia.  
Mary found herself looking forward to the day Mrs. Marnie was due to retire.

* * *

Gideon pulled up the driveway to the Beaver Dam Garage. Tipping his cap to the owner, Chuck, he strolled around the back with a pie box under his arm. This had become a routine after every flour pick-up; Gideon had never had many friends, but Travis had stayed by his side through thick and thin. Even though he had started out as more of a sidekick, he had matured into one of his closest friends.

He found Travis head down in the engine of a car, sniffing around for an oil leak.  
"Mornin'" Gideon said cheerfully as he walked in.  
"What's wrong with you?" the ferret said amused.  
"What?"  
"Stupid grin on your face" he ducked his head back down into the engine. "You look like a schoolboy in love"

Gideon watched as the ferret crawled back into the engine, almost disappearing into a small gap between a hose and the battery. Had Travis looked back up, he would have seen the realisation that played across the fox's face.  
Gideon closed his eyes for a moment, seeing Mary's face, as he had several times over the past few days. He could remember how she smelled, how she sounded, the shade of her nose changing when she flushed. Something fluttered in his chest again, and he let out a long breath of air he had not realised he had been holding in.

"Travis, I think I'm in trouble"  
"What'ya do now" the ferret asked, having worked his way down through the engine and under the car.  
"You remember Mary Fields?" Gideon asked as he sat down on a toolbox by a cluttered workbench.  
"Black sheep? Yea, used to push her around pretty badly. Heard she's back in town" he popped his head out from under the car, giving Gideon a bemused look. "Why? She wants revenge on ya?  
"No, no nothing like that" Gideon was leaning his elbows on his knees. He actually looked troubled, making Travis worried.  
"Jeez mate, what happened?"  
"Nothing really. She just came in and ordered pies" Travis crooked his head, looking a little confused. "And I gave her a lift, and she's really nice, and it was raining, and she looked so soft and…And I saw her this morning, and I just…" he looked helplessly at his friend, not knowing how to express himself. They never really talked much about feelings.

Travis was quiet for a long time, taking in his friend's expression, before his eyebrows slowly rose up towards his ears.  
"Of all the stupid shit you've done mate…"  
"Yeah, I know" Gideon rubbed his paws over his face.  
"But… you've done nothing right?"  
"Like what?" Gideon asked wearily. Travis threw his paws up in disbelief.  
"Shit, like, tellin' her stuff, or touching her or just looking to much"  
"No" he did not feel like telling him about the time on the porch. "But I can't help looking"  
"She's a sheep!" Travis stuffed the rag he had used to clean his paws in his pocket. "And last I checked you had fangs and red fur!" Gideon kept his eyes on his paws, looking sullen. Calming down a little, Travis walked over to his friend.

"When was the last time ya talked to a fox you're not related to anyway?" Travis asked calmly. "Ya need to meet a proper vixen, this' just a symptom of that." The only effect that argument had was making Gideon's shoulders slump even more.

Trying a new tactic, Travis said: "Look mate, she's prolly dreaming of some strong ram to sweep her off her feet anyway. So drop it"  
"I can't" Gideon said meekly. "I swear Travis, she's like honey"

Sighing, Travis walked over to the small fridge in the corner. Getting two sodas, he threw Gideon one and sat down next to him on the toolbox.  
"Remember when I told you about aunt Lynn?"  
Gideon nodded, already knowing what point he was going to make.  
"She ran off with a weasel, got married. I mean eloped properly. Nobody talks to her or about her. Didn't even know I had an aunt till I was in my teens! Can't imagine it's much better for the weasel fellow. And we really ain't that different, weasels n' ferrets" Travis took a sip of his soda, poking Gideon in the shoulder. "Now imagine you n' Mary. That'll get you more trouble 'an just a few broken windows"

Gideon's mind gladly imagined himself and Mary getting into trouble, making him rub his face even harder. Travis, not sure his friend was getting the message, added:  
"Don't do anything stupid"  
"I won't"  
"I mean it mate. She prolly don't want nothing to do with ya"  
"Yeah" Gideon said, carefully straightening his shirt collar. "But what if she does?"  
"Don't even play with the idea. I guarantee you she don't."  
"Yeah"  
"So don't…"  
"Yea, yea. Don't do anything stupid. Don't tell me what I know Travis" Gideon gave him a half-hearted shove, earning him a friendly slap on the back.  
"At's more like it" the ferret jumped of the toolbox. "Now, what you got today?"  
"A new recipe" Gideon said, trying to cheer up a bit. "Need your opinion on it, I'm trying to get the right balance between apples and pecan nuts"  
"At your service" Travis made a mock bow as he walked into the break-room to get the coffee going.  
Left alone in the garage, Gideon leaned his head back into his paws, letting out a discouraged groan.


	5. Invitation

_Chapter five, yay! I have been struggling a little with this chapter, but I hope you like it anyway. Thanks again for the comments, they really keep me motivated to continue :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Invitation**

Mary tried not to seem like she was struggling as she walked up Main Street with four heavy grocery bags. She had followed her usual routine and forgotten that she did not have a car anymore. It had been a rusty and smelly old thing, but right now, feeling the bags digging into her arms and shoulder, she missed it. Spotting a free bench just ahead, she decided to make it to it with some dignity, taking what would probably be the first of many breaks.

"You need any help with those?"  
Mary looked up in surprise as Gideon walked up to her, his own grocery bag in hand. He was back in his usual getup; blue checkered shirt with rolled up sleeves and jeans, his bangs slightly ruffled.  
"Gideon" she tried giving him a calm and friendly smile, but realised it was probably more of a nervous grimace. "Thanks, but I live quite the walk from here"  
"It's no trouble" Gideon said reassuringly. He had convinced himself that not offering to help her when she was obviously struggling with her bags would be rude. Besides, he had Elliot with him in the bakery today, so there was no need for him to be back right away.  
"Alright, if it's not any trouble" Mary hesitantly accepted.

Before she could say anything else, he had picked up her groceries as if they weighed nothing. He stood there, his usual mild smile on his lips, patiently waiting for her to lead the way. Feeling a little embarrassed that he was carrying everything while she carried nothing; Mary slid down from the bench and walked up alongside him.

The sun was setting behind them as they made their way up Main Street. Mary kept stealing glances at Gideon, his fur wonderfully orange in the setting sun. It was almost as if he was glowing. He was patiently walking beside her, careful not to walk faster than she could manage.  
Glancing down to make sure he was not walking to fast Gideon found Mary's blue eyes looking up at him. She instantly cast her eyes down, her nose turning a little darker.

"You.. You like being back?" Gideon ventured in an attempt to break the now awkward silence. He was coming to think that this maybe was included in Travis' definition of doing something stupid. But he was just being polite, and there were other mammals in the street, so it was not as if he would do anything. Now that he thought about it, he noticed several shooting curious glances at them as they walked past.

"Yea" Mary answered. Relieved to fill the silence with something. "I really like working at the school"  
"I bet you're a great teacher" Gideon said. "Looked like it yesterday, the way you handled the kids"  
Mary smiled at the pavement, feeling a warmth spreading in her face again.  
"I always wanted to be a teacher" she admitted.  
"Really? Thought you had your eyes set on the stars" Mary gave him a puzzled look "You know, astronaut" Gideon added.  
Mary burst out in her wonderful laugh, making him smile at the sound of it.  
"Where in the world did you get that idea?"  
Gideon shrugged, but she could see the playful smirk on his lips, his right fang peeking out under his lip. It made him look very much like a fox, and Mary felt an unexpected ripple of anticipation run through her body.

"If I remember correctly; Judy was going to be a cop, you an astronaut and Cliff would do taxes or something"  
Gideon thought maybe he had gone too far when he glanced back at Mary, finding her looking much more embarrassed than he had intended.  
"Oh, the stupid talent show" Mary muttered, closing her eyes for a moment, as if regaining her composure. To Gideon's relief, she laughed again, although a little breathless.

"The astronaut thing was Judy's idea. She thought a teacher was to boring. I needed to be something un-prey like" she rolled her eyes at him. "I get nervous just thinking about getting on an airplane, you can imagine a space ship" she shook her head, making her ears flap adorably from side to side. "And the stupid angel costume…" she covered her eyes with her hoofs "I had almost forgotten about that"  
"Nah, you where cute in it" Gideon said reassuringly, before realising that maybe was crossing a line. Thankfully, Mary just smiled at him "Thanks, but I'm never getting back on a stage again"  
"Never liked those talent show or school play things myself" they shared an understanding smile, continuing the rest of the walk reminiscing back to their schooldays. To Gideon's relief, they avoided the subject of bullies.

* * *

Mary lived on the second floor of a small mid-century brick building. Her apartment situated right above a small hat and bag shop, one of the few accessory shops in Bunnyburrow.

Walking across the street, Mary found herself wondering if Gideon would carry her bags all the way up to her apartment, and if he did; would she dare to invite him in for tea?

"So, this is me" Mary said while fumbling with her key chain. Her mind was running trying to remember if she had left any dirty dishes scattered on the counter, or if she had made her bed this morning.

Gideon considered if he could offer to carry her bags up the stairs as well, but quickly decided against it as he thought he could feel suspicious glances at the back of his neck. Instead, he carefully put the bags down on her doorstep, sliding his paws into his pockets.  
"I'll need to get back"  
"Oh, yea, of course" Mary felt a little stupid for thinking about the whole tea-scenario. Glancing around, she saw a family of bunnies turn a corner, leaving the street empty except for the two of them.  
"I'll see you later?" She realised too late it came out sounding like a question and not a good-bye. She turned to unlock her door, hoping he had not noticed.  
Gideon noticed, or rather he hoped he had noticed something in her tone of voice.  
"I'd like that" he said silently. Alone on the empty street, with Mary standing so close, Gideon felt his paw slip out of his pocket.

Mary's heart jumped at the unexpected touch. His paw was gentle on her arm, his fingers carefully brushing against her, making her skin tingle. Their eyes locked, and she could feel the air between them becoming static, as if loaded with tension. It was over before it even had begun, as Gideon quickly withdrew his paw at the sound of hoofs against pavement echoing in the narrow street. Three pigs came strolling up the street, thankfully too engulfed in their own conversation to pay them any mind.

"I.." Mary begun, her face felt so hot she was sure her nose was glowing by now.  
"You can come by the bakery anytime you want" Gideon rushed awkwardly "I.. I made a new pie, with pecans, I'll give you a free slice if you want"  
"Yea" Mary nodded shyly "That sounds nice"  
Gideon had his paw on his neck now, rubbing it nervously. His mouth was going dry again; his tongue seemed to stick to the roof of his mouth.  
"So, I'll see you…" he begun, stalling, not knowing how to continue.  
"I can come by on Thursday, after work" Mary offered.  
"Yea" Gideon let out a sharp breath and nodded, his whole body felt tense and restless.  
Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted the pigs still standing in the street, gossiping. He did not mean to, but let out an annoyed growl. Mary suppressed a chuckle, giving him a knowing glance.

"See you Thursday then" Mary whispered, feeling her heart dance around in her chest with anticipation.  
"Yea, Thursday" Gideon smiled down at her, picking up his own grocery bag before walking back down the street. Gideon could not help smiling. This he was certain, was definitely included in Travis' definition of doing something stupid.

* * *

Inside her apartment, Mary slumped right down on the hallway carpet, pressing her hoof to her chest. Had she just? Was this a date? Did she have a date with Gideon Grey? Her heart was ready to leap out of her chest, so there was no mistaking how she felt about it. "Mary Fields" she said aloud with a shaky voice, as if to make sure it was true. "Mary Fields, you're in love with a fox" she fell back. Lying flat on the carpet; she smiled up at the ceiling, nervously welcoming the new and slightly scandalous feelings growing in her chest.

* * *

"Hi boss!" The light brown bunny beamed at him. Elliot had excitedly accepted the job as part time help in the bakery after his cousins, Jane and Simon Hopps, had gone back to work on the family farm. He did well, even though he was a bit to energetic at times, and insisted on calling him 'boss'.  
"Sorry I took so long" Gideon apologised, trying his best to lose the stupid grin on his face. "Everything alright while I was gone?"  
"Yes boss" Elliot said, jumping behind the counter to pick up the order book. "We have three new orders, and Uncle Stu called, saying you can pick up the blueberries tomorrow if it suits you. Oh! And your mother came by" Gideon gave the young bunny a startled look.  
"Ma was here?"  
"Yea, just popped in to say hello I think" Gideon suddenly felt guilty; he had not seen his mother in a month, and when she had come be, he had not been there.

"Thanks Elliot. You can go home early if you like, I'll close up"  
"Thanks boss!" the bunny was out back and on his bike before Gideon could put his groceries away. There was no customers left, and with only half an hour until closing, he doubted any new ones would come by. Sitting down by a small round table, he picked up his cell. Taking a deep breath before hitting the green button next to his mother's name.

"Gideon?" Vera's voice happily sounded through the speaker.  
"Hi Ma.." he heard the metallic sound of pots and pans being put down on a counter.  
"Gideon! I'm so glad you called, I came by the bakery today"  
"Yea, Sorry, I was out"  
"Nothing to apologise for honey, I know you must be busy, running your own business and everything" If his mother had had feathers, she would have puffed them up in pride.  
"Ma.. did you want something?"  
"Actually" he could her his mother's voice growing cautious. "I was wondering if you wanted to come by for dinner tonight"

Gideon went stiff in his chair, before closing his eyes, trying not to let his voice sound to shaky.  
"Ma, I don't know. Pa is…"  
"He's been in a very good mood lately, and you've been doing so well for yourself." Vera sounded hopeful. "Besides, I haven't seen you in a month, and I would like to have my son over for dinner"  
He could hear something already cooking on the stove behind her. Even though Gideon's baking skills had no comparison in the Tri-Burrows, he had never gotten the hang of cooking. And he did miss his mother; she had always supported him, no matter what he put her through when he was a kid. He did owe her more than just the random phone call.  
"Alright Ma" he said "I'll need to close up first, but I'll be there in an hour"  
"Oh, that's perfect honey!"  
"Yea, see you"

He put his phone on the table, rubbing his fingers up the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling exhausted.

* * *

Taking the key out of the ignition, Gideon took in his old home. The house looked more tired and worn every time he saw it. Maybe if he visited more often the change would not have been so obvious. The porch needed mending, and the roof was missing several tiles, and the whole house needed a new coat of paint. He knew his mother kept it as warm and welcoming as she could, as she always had. But there was only so much she could do. Trying not to slump his shoulders, he made his way across the dusty front yard.

Vera Grey walked into the hallway as soon as he opened the creaking front door, apron and oven mittens in hand.  
"Gideon!" she exclaimed, promptly pulling him into a warm hug "I'm so glad you came!" Gideon had long since outgrown his mother, her head just reaching his shoulders.

"What's he doin here?" Gideon had not noticed his father coming into the hallway. Now he stood leaning against the doorframe, glaring at him.  
Joff Grey had become an old fox, his once bright red fur a dull orange, greying by his ears. His eyes where a pale blue, just like his son, but unlike Gideon's they were ice cold and unfriendly.

"Our son has come to have dinner with us" his mother answered, protectively standing between father and son.  
"Not with me he ain't" Joff spat, marching past them as if Gideon suddenly had ceased to exist .  
"Where are you going?" Vera asked as his father started putting on his coat.  
"Out. Lost my appetite" he walked out without looking back, slamming the door behind him.

Gideon tightened his jaw, determined not to show his mother how much this still affected him.  
His mother was drying away frustrated tears with her quilted oven mittens. He could see this had not turned out as she had hoped it would.

"It smells really nice Ma" he said, laying a comforting paw on her shoulder. "What's for dinner?"  
Vera smiled sadly up at her son, drying away another tear. "A nice stew, and creamy mashed potatoes, straight out of the dirt this morning" her smile faded quickly again, as she looked down on her oven mittens.  
"He's so darn stubborn"  
"Ma, it's not your fault that he doesn't approve of me"  
Jeff had never supported his son's ambition to become a baker, discouraging the idea as soon as Gideon had started to work at Badger Bakery. Being his only son, he had always imagined him taking on the farm when he became older.

His mother looked like she was going to cry again, before straightening herself, brushing out her apron with her paws.  
"Well, I'm proud of you enough for the both of us" she said as she took his face in her paws, patting his cheek. "I hear nothing but good things about you in town" his mother smiled proudly at him, giving his cheek little pinch.  
"Oh, look at me chatting away while dinner is getting cold!" she exclaimed, quickly drying away a stray tear. "Come on, you must be starving"  
Following his mother into the kitchen, Gideon could not help but feel a little relieved that his father had left so soon. Now they would be able to enjoy dinner and talk freely, without worrying about setting off one of his violent outbursts.

Outside in the tool shed, Joff Grey angrily removed the cork from another bottle, and glumly watched the warm glow coming from his wife's kitchen window.


	6. Blueberries

_I have had this thought about every chapter, but especially this one: Man I wish I could draw. Because this story plays out like a comic in my head. Anyway, I hope you guys like reading it as much as I like writing it :) Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Blueberries**

Wednesday was one of those autumn days when it never really got to full daylight because of the dark clouds covering the sky. Cold winds where already blowing across Bunnyburrow, ruffling the branches on trees just starting to change from green to orange and yellow.  
Gideon watched this world of gloomy dark clouds and bright colours pass by as he drove down the dusty road towards the Hopps' farm. He had always liked autumn best of all the seasons. The earth was in bounty, crops and fruit ready for harvesting, and the air somehow became cleaner and the sky clearer after each rainfall.  
Today however, the ominous clouds promised more than just rain. It looked like Bunnyburrow would get its first proper storm of the season. Gideon stepped on the gas a little, wanting to get to the Hopps and the fresh delivery of blueberries before the rain started.

As he passed the driveway leading down to the Fields' house, he thought of Mary for what had to be the hundredth time today. Her smile and melodic laugh snuck into his mind every spare moment he had. He already remembered her scent; he could call it up anytime he wanted. It usually took Gideon a few days of constant interaction with someone to remember his or her scent, but Mary's had imprinted itself right away. He figured it must have happened when he drove her to her parents last Sunday, being alone in the van with her. That was barely two weeks ago, and he had seen her, what, three times since then?  
"Must be a personal record" he mumble to himself, feeling the warmth spreading in his chest as he thought about her. She had said she would come by the bakery tomorrow, but he did not want to get his hopes up. He could have misunderstood; maybe she just wanted free pie.  
 _She prolly don't want nothing to do with ya_. Travis' voice echoed in the back of his mind.

Stu was already waiting for him in the driveway when he pulled up, the sound of the van's engine quickly attracting the attention of Stu and Bonnies many children. Stepping out of the van, Gideon was overrun by a bouncing mass of bunnies.  
"Gideon! Did you bring us something?"  
"Did you bring cookies?"  
"Giddy! Giddy!" the youngest of the bunch excitedly chimed in.  
"Sorry kids, just the pickup today" Gideon apologised, earning him a disappointed _Awwwww_ from sea of fluff surrounding him.

"Kids, kids! Give Gideon some room" Stu exclaimed, working his way towards him, picking up bunnies as he went. "He would go bankrupt, bringing you all free sweets every time he comes around"  
"At's alright" Gideon smiled. "I promise to bring something next time."  
Stu gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder before hooking his thumbs back under the straps of his overalls.  
"I hope you don't mind helping me carry the crates out of the barn. Didn't dare get them out early, what with the weather n' everything" Stu nodded up at the dark sky.  
"No trouble Mr. Hopps" the big fox smiled, rolling up his shirtsleeves.

"Any news from town?" Stu asked conversationally as they put the last crate into the back of the van. He took off his cap, patting his forehead with his handkerchief.  
"Nah, same old Mr. Hopps" Gideon locked the doors, giving them an extra thug to make sure they closed properly.  
"I heard the Fields's daughter is back in town" Stu continued, not noticing Gideon freezing mid movement. "Teaches some of my kiddoes in math, they call her Miss Mary" Stu chuckled. "Thinking she's the same little lamb 'at used to play with our Judy. Time flies eh?"  
"Yeah" Gideon swallowed "Sure does"  
"Was in the same class as you back in the day, wasn't she?" Gideon was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, thankfully the carrot farmer did not seem to notice.  
"Believe she was, yea" Gideon awkwardly cleared his throat, desperately wanting to change the subject. As if on que, the first raindrops fell on his nose.  
"You'll have to excuse me Mr. Hopps; need to get going if I'm gonna beat the rain"  
"Oh sure, sure" Stu said in a chipper tone. "Roads get muddy real fast. Drive safely"  
"Will do" Gideon assured him, relieved to climb into the driver's seat. He carefully made sure no little bunnies were in his way before backing out of the driveway. Raindrops were falling in shorter intervals as Gideon flicked on the windshield wipers, worried that the road would turn to mush long before he got back to town.

* * *

"Mom, I really should get going" Mary nervously looked out the window, seeing the clouds thickening. It was already late in the afternoon, and if she was going to get home before the storm broke, she was beginning to run out of time.  
"Sush" her mom waived her dish- glove covered hoof in her direction, soapy water splashing against the kitchen tiles. "I guarantee you it's going to be just a drizzle, you can borrow my raincoat" Mary shoot another worried glance out the window, but continued drying off the dishes.  
"Why can't you just wait for Gareth do get back if you don't want to walk? We could have some tea and watch telly, the final of _Zootopia's got talent_ is tonight!" Mary wondered how it was possible to get so excited over a TV show.  
"He won't be back before midnight, and I really need to get an early night tonight mom. We have the monthly staff meeting tomorrow morning before classes"

Her brother had borrowed the family truck to drive to Bellflowerburrow right after dinner, picking up some fertiliser for next year's crops. She was glad Gareth had taken an interest in the family farm, because it meant she did not have to. She never had much interest in farming; it was one of the things she and Judy had in common growing up. They both wanted to do something more than just growing carrots or barley; they wanted to make a difference in the world. Even though Judy's ambition was definitely more brave and groundbreaking than hers, Mary did not feel teaching was any less important.

"That's great Chuck, I owe you one!" her father said, walking into the kitchen, putting his phone on the counter before giving her mother a peck on the cheek.  
"Good news Mary" he said, turning to his daughter. "Chuck's real busy, but he's able to fit in your car next Wednesday if it works for you. He said the new guy could take a look at it, Travis something, didn't catch the rest of his name" her father said, scratching his chin.  
"Oh yea, Gideon mentioned that he got a job at the garage" Mary said before she could think.  
"Gideon Grey told you that?" her parent sending her questioning looks. Mary hoped to God that her nose did not flush.  
"More like mentioned it in passing" she said in what she hoped was a nonchalant tone. "Last Sunday, when he delivered the pies" Mary kept her eyes on the cup she was drying.

"Ah yes, I had forgotten about that already" her mother said in a light tone, continuing on the dishes. "You know, those pies were so delicious, you'd never know a fox made them"  
"Mom!"  
"Oh, sush. You know I mean no harm" her mother smiled, clearly thinking she was funny. Her father even chuckled a little, before furrowing his brow.

"So Travis must be the ferret fellow then?" the scepticism apparent in his voice. Mary sat the dry cup down a little too hard.  
"I'm sure he's perfectly capable at his job dad, and Wednesday works fine for me, thank you" Mary handed the dishcloth to her father. "Now I really need to go if I'm going to beat the rain" not wanting to leave her parents on a bad note, she gave them a quick hug.  
"Thanks for dinner, I'll see you later."

Watching through the kitchen window as their daughter hurried down the driveway, Bill turned to his wife:  
"Did she seem a little off to you?"  
"Oh, they get so strong-minded after College" his wife sighed. "Give her a few months working in the real world, she'll get over it" she gave her husband a quick kiss on the nose, earning her a warm smile. "Now make yourself useful" she said, handing him a big pot to dry off.

* * *

Gideon was driving as fast as he dared on the mushy road, barely able to see through the rain. Every few minutes a flash of lightning would cut through the darkness, the deep rumble of thunder informing him that the storm was still getting closer. Trying to turn up the frequency on his windshield wipers, his attention was off the road for two seconds tops. Glancing back up, he nearly swerved into the ditch to avoid hitting a yellow figure walking along road. He slid to a halt on the wet mud, taking a couple of seconds to calm down before jumping out of his van.  
"Hey!" he yelled as the wind pelted his face with rain. "You all right? I almost hit you there buddy"  
"Gideon?" Mary's face appeared out of the yellow hood, rain clinging to her wool and hanging from her eyelashes, the wind making the raincoat flap around her legs. Gideon's heart skipped a beat, but the storm did not allow him to stay idle.  
"You need a ride?" he yelled through the wind, gesturing towards the van. Mary nodded, sprinting as fast as she could towards the passenger side in the strong wind.

Inside the relative calm of the van, Gideon got a closer look at her. Even with the raincoat, she seemed soaked to the skin, her wool clinging to her face and arms. She unzipped her raincoat, letting it fall to the floor below her dangling feet. Her wet blouse was clinging to her chest and waist. Gideon quickly turned his attention to getting the van back on the road.

"Are you crazy? Walking in storm like this" he asked, turning up the heat as he noticed her shiver.  
"I thought I could get home before it broke" she said, still shivering.  
"Here" Gideon reached behind his seat and handed her his quilted blanket. She thankfully wrapped it around herself, smiling when she recognised it.  
"Your parents couldn't drive you?"  
"Gareth has the truck, and I couldn't stay the night with the meeting so early" she looked down in her lap, feeling a little foolish for trying to walk home.  
"Must be some important meeting, I nearly ran you over" Gideon huffed.  
"Sorry" she said meekly, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself. "Didn't mean to cause you any trouble"  
"Nah, no trouble" Gideon said, recognising that he may have sounded too harsh. "Just startled me, at's all"

They were quiet for a while before Mary broke the silence.  
"So, what are you doing out in the storm then?" Gideon glanced over at her. Her wool had started to puff up thanks to the heat blasting from the air-condition, making her look absolutely lovely.  
"B..Blueberries" he managed.  
"Sorry?"  
"I picked up blueberries from the Hopps' farm" he explained, turning his full attention back on the road. "It's the last of the season I recon, having to start on the pumpkin pies soon, but it's a little early, being only September. So I'm trying to come up with something to make in-between those" Mary listened as Gideon went on about pies and recipes, and crumbling biscuits verses soft- centred cookies. Her eyelids was becoming heavy, the warm air and steady hum of Gideon's voice slowly lulling her to sleep.

"…it's weird that green apples actually works better than red, even though they're not as sweet, don't you think?" Gideon glanced over at Mary, and fell silent. She was sleeping, and he thought it had to be the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was curled up in his blanket, leaning her head against the passenger door, her chest slowly rising and falling. Her dark wool was curling wildly around her face, her lips slightly parted.  
Drawing a sharp breath through his nose, Gideon quickly snapped his eyes back to the road. Thankfully, the roads were nearly empty as he drove into town, because with all the glances he was giving the sleeping Mary, he was becoming a traffic hazard.

Gideon pulled up on the sidewalk by the small shop where Mary lived and killed the engine. He watched her in silence for a couple of seconds, trying to memorise how she looked and sounded.  
He wanted to wake her by stroking her cheek, but realised that would be crossing a line. Instead, he slid over to the seat between them and carefully nudged her shoulder.  
"Mary" he whispered. "We're here, wake up"

Her ears flopped back and forth as her eyelids slid open, her sleepy blue eyes focusing on his face. Mary abruptly sat up, the blanket falling down in her lap.  
"Did I fall asleep? How long?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.  
"Most of the drive here" Gideon leaned his shoulder against the seat-back, looking down at her. He should probably have gone back to the driver's seat, but he could not get himself to move.  
"How rude of me" Mary tried to smile, but ended up suppressing a yawn. "Sorry" she muttered, giving him an apologetic glance.  
"No trouble" he said softly.  
"You always say that" he was so close; she could see her breath moving the fur on his face.  
" 'Cause I mean it" Gideon barely spoke over a whisper. Mary was looking up at him with her incredible blue eyes, and he realised they were all alone. No one were out in this storm, and if someone were, they would not pay the parked van much notice in their hurry to get to the shelter of their homes.  
The only light in the van was the yellow gleam of the streetlight, and the hammering rain and wind cancelled out any other sounds. Mary was becoming dizzy; it was as if the air itself had become static with energy.

Gideon knew that if he was going to back away, he had to do it now. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice was warning him that this was stupid, dangerous even. He should back off, say good night, and drive home. Yet all he wanted to do was lean closer to her.

Mary barely dared to breathe. She felt as if any move could be a wrong move, but if she did not do something soon, she feared he would move away. Shifting in her seat, she carefully leaned a little closer to him, her heart beating so fast she was sure he could hear it.

That was all it took for Gideon to give in. With a sigh, he closed the last few inches between them, his mind going blank as their lips touched. All he could smell, all he could feel, was Mary.

Mary felt Gideon's paw slip around her head, holding her gently against him. She leaned into him, her own hoof sliding up between them, gripping his shirt. His lips was surprisingly soft, pressing tenderly against hers.  
She did not know how long it lasted, but when Gideon pulled away, he was panting a little and her lips felt swollen. Mary felt strangely calm. She had just kissed Gideon Grey, a fox, and somehow nothing about it felt wrong.

"Mary, I'm.." he began hesitantly.  
"Don't say you're sorry" she interrupted him. "Please"  
"No, I'm not sorry" he said softly, his paw now cupping her cheek. He was stroking his thumb over her cheekbone. Mary leaned her head into it, letting her eyes glide shut for a few moments, enjoying his careful touch. To her annoyance, she yawned.  
"It's alright" Gideon chuckled, seeing her concerned eyes. "It's late, you go ahead and go to bed"

Mary did not want to leave, but another yawn threatened to surface any minute. She slowly started to fold the quilted blanket that had slid off her, meaning to hand it back. Gideon put his large paw over her arm, smiling softly at her.  
"Will you keep it this time?"  
"You won't miss it?"  
Gideon laughed "I'll get another for Christmas, and my birthday, don't worry"  
"Thank you, I really like it" Mary said, rolling the blanket up in her arms.  
"Don't tell my Ma that, she'll make you ten"  
Mary laughed a short melodic laugh, making Gideon's chest swell up with affection. They sat in silence for a few moments, just looking at each other.  
"Well then" Mary finally said, not able to stop smiling. "Good night"  
With newfound courage, Mary got up on her knees in her seat, giving Gideon a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll see you tomorrow" she promised before opening the door, dashing out through the rain.

Gideon sat wide-eyed and baffled for a few moments, watching her run to her front door, before a smile crept back over his face.  
He felt as if he could have run five miles without a break, his chest so full it could burst any minute.  
At the back of his mind, several second thoughts were fighting for his attention. Right now however, he did not have room in his head to think about anything but Mary. He could still smell her in his van, and licking his lips; he could still taste her.


	7. New friends, old friends

_My longest chapter yet! Hope you like :)  
Sep.13. 2016: Fixed some spelling errors, no plot changes :) (sorry, keep trying to save the changes, but it keeps bugging or something..)_

* * *

 **Chap 7: New friends, old friends.**

To the kids delight and parents dismay, the storm the day before had left the schoolyard filled with muddy puddles. Branches quickly became swords, heaps of leafs treasures to be plundered and puddles vast lakes where monsters lurked. Mary watched the exited students with a smile on her face, enjoying the still warm autumn sun. Her smile faded as she spotted a lonely figure on the swing set.

Benjamin was sitting by himself, watching the puddle beneath his feet as he waited for recess to end. Occasionally glancing cautiously towards Daryll and Paul, occupied with plundering one of the many heaps of "treasure" scattered through the playground. Mary felt her heart ache for him little. Bullies were so much more bearable when you had friends, but Benjamin had given up on making any. It even seemed like he had started pushing anyone who tried away. Mary wondered if maybe she could do more to help him, but she definitely did not want him getting more trouble with his peers for being favoured by a teacher.

Mary felt a spark of hope as she noticed a young bunny with a pink bow around her ear sending the wolf cub curious glances. After exchanging some apparently heated words with her playmates, she got up and marched over to the swings. _Maybe this time_ Mary thought as she turned her attention elsewhere, not wanting to spy on her own students.

Benjamin slowly looked up as a pair of very fuzzy-looking light brown feet appeared in his vision.  
"Hi!" the bunny smiled, holding out her paw. "I'm Elise, but everyone calls me Ellie"  
Benjamin gave her outreached paw a sceptical look, expecting a trick.  
"Benjamin" he said eventually, grabbing her paw.  
"I know" she beamed at him. "We're in the same class"  
"How should I know? All you bunnies look the same" Ellie gave him an offended pout, and he was sure she would walk back and leave him alone. See seemed to change her mind last minute however, hooking her paws behind her back.  
"I guess if I was in a room with a lot of wolves, I'd have trouble telling them apart as well" Benjamin could not believe this girl. Her face suddenly lit up as if she got a great idea. "I always wear this!" she excitedly pointed to the pink ribbon tied in a bow around her left ear. "So just look for that, and you'll know it's me"  
He was about to ask her why he would ever want to look for her, but she beat him to it.  
"You're from Zootopia right? My cousin lives there, she says there's parts where it's always winter. Is that true?"  
"Yea… Tundratown" he said hesitantly, amused at how excited she seemed over something he found so normal. "And in Sahara Square it's always hot and sandy"  
"That's so cool!" Ellie sat down on the swing beside him, her eyes big with awe.  
"I guess" Benjamin shrugged.  
"My cousin says there's a whole little town for little mammals, and big ice creams just for elephants and hippos and the like" Ellie rushed, clearly eager to confirm everything she had heard about Zootopia from a first-hand source.  
"Your cousin's been around a lot?" Benjamin asked, starting to enjoy the attention.  
"Yea! She's a cop" Ellie said proudly. "Like a proper police officer, with a badge and everything. Her names Judy Hopps. Hopps, that's my name too" the young bunny was positively glowing with pride.  
Benjamin's ears stood straight up as he looked at her in disbelief. "The bunny-cop's your cousin?"  
"You've heard about her?"  
"Who hasn't" Benjamin scoffed, turning his gaze back down to the puddle bellow his feet. Before Ellie got to asking any more questions, the swing was abruptly pulled away from under him. Benjamin fell face first into the muddy puddle, soaking his sweater and jeans.

"Why do ya keep fallin' over Scruffy?" Drayll's familiar voice taunted behind him.  
"Yeah, why Scruff?" Paul chimed in, peeking out from behind the bigger ram's back.  
"Leave him alone Darryl" Ellie jumped of her swing. Benjamin watched in astonishment as the small bunny stood between him and the rams, defiantly holding her paws on her hips.  
"Move over Ellie" Darryl warned, making a point of being a couple of inches taller than her.  
"No" she said stubbornly, raising her long ears to outmatch his height.  
"Fine" Daryll jeered at her. "Join him then!"

Ellie let out a surprised yelp as Daryll pushed her hard, sending her stumbling backwards into the puddle. Even with cold muddy water soaking her pants, she managed to send the two rams an angry glare as they walked off laughing.

"You didn't have to do that" Benjamin mumbled as he helped her out of the puddle.  
"Yea I did, they're jerks" Ellie frowned as she looked down her once light blue jeans. "Mom's gonna be so mad" she sighed. Benjamin looked down at his own muddy clothes. "Yea, same"

* * *

Mary could not help but be a little extra cheerful as she taught the following period. There was two very muddy but happy students in the class, smiling at each other across the classroom. And when she started to pair up the class for group work, she did not have to find a partner for Benjamin.

Leaving school that afternoon, Mary's good mood quickly shifted into giddy nervousness. She had been able to keep the thought of Gideon out of her mind for most of the day by concentrating on her job. Now that nothing needed her attention, the promise of maybe, quite possibly, another kiss made her almost run home to change.

* * *

Mary was almost trembling with nervous excitement as she approached the bakery. She had used over an hour after work to get ready, second-guessing every part of her appearance. The kiss from yesterday was still burning on her lips, somehow it just made her feel even more uncertain than if ti had not happened at all. She had finally decided on a simple soft blue dress, matching her eyes perfectly.

The bell over the door chimed happily as she entered the bakery. Her eyes jumping over the patrons searching for Gideon, but she could not see him anywhere. Instead, a young bunny greeted her from the counter. Elliot, one of Elise many older brothers if she remembered correctly. It was hard keeping track of the bunny families sometimes.

"Afternoon Miss Mary!" he beamed at her. How did he manage to sound so enthusiastic about everything?  
"Afternoon" Mary glanced over his shoulder through the kitchen door, hearing the steady hum of a Mix-master. "Erm.. Is Gideon here?"  
"Sure" Elliot chirped. "Boss!" He yelled into the kitchen, the steady hum of the Mix-master coming to a stop. "Customer for you!"  
Mary wanted to disappear between the floorboards.  
"Please Elliot, how many times do I have to ask you not to shout in the bakery" Gideon walked out of the kitchen, dusting frosting sugar from his apron. He halted mid movement when he saw Mary.  
Gideon realised how little he actually had thought this through. They could not very well sit down in the bakery with the others, and he could not think of a good excuse to bring her somewhere they could be alone. Because sweet pie crust, he wanted her alone.

"Hi" he finally managed.  
"Hi" Mary's ears flickered nervously, wondering what to say without raising the suspicion of Elliot, still standing behind the counter.  
"I came to ask about the… special offer" she swallowed, imagining everyone in the bakery looking at her.  
"What offer?" Elliot asked, looking innocently up at his boss. Before Gideon could come up with an appropriate answer, and an excuse to send Elliot into the storage room for something, Mary was engulfed in a cloud of white wool.

"Oh. My. Gosh!" Mary felt four arms encircling her, trapping her in a cloud of permed wool and too sweet perfume. "Mary!"  
"Hi Abby, Agnes" Mary coughed, sending Gideon a helpless look.  
"It has been ages" Agnes said.  
"Literally decades" Abby added.  
"You're here by yourself? You must come sit with us!"  
"So much catching up to do!" the twins exclaimed in unison.  
Unable to protest the eager twins, Mary was lead over to one of the booths in the back of the bakery. To Mary's dismay, the twins placed her facing away from the register.

"Sooo" Agnes begun as she sat down, giving Abby a meaningful look. "Your brother"  
"Is he still single?" Abby completed.  
"I.. I believe he is, yes" Mary moved uncomfortably in her seat. This had not turned out as she had planned.  
As usual, the twins did the most of the talking, which suited Mary just fine. She was trying her best to seem interested, and not turn her head too often to steal a glance at Gideon. Abby was in the middle of explaining, helped out greatly by Agnes, how they both had managed to land an internship at the same magazine, when Gideon appeared at the table.

"Here you go ladies" Gideon sat the twins' milkshakes down, before carefully placing a slice of pie in front of Mary. She was resting her arms on the table, and as he withdrew his paw, he let the back of his fingers brush against her wrist lightly, but deliberately. Mary's skin tingled as she tried to catch his eyes, but he was already on his way back to the register. Trying to hide her smile, she looked down at the pie.  
It had a neat pattern of thinly sliced apples and roasted pecans, topped with a light drizzle of caramel sauce. She had never thought a slice of pie could look pretty, but this one did.

"Well he grew up nicely didn't he?" Abby said between slurps.  
"Sure did" Agnes agreed. "Don't you think Mary?"  
"Sorry, what?" Mary looked up from her pie.  
"Gideon" Abby specified. "One moment he's pushing you to the ground, next he's serving you pie" the twins giggled. "It's a bit funny, don't you think?"  
"Yes" Mary bit the inside of her cheek. _Oh, you have no idea_. "He's changed a great deal"

* * *

The twins kept Mary at their table until closing time. When they got up to leave, Mary had hoped for some chance to at least get two words alone with Gideon, but she was herded out the door by the twins. A still chipper Elliot holding the door for them, wishing them a good evening and welcome back.

"Are you sure you can't join us? Its only eight" Agnes pleaded as Mary started to walk down the street to her apartment.  
"Really, I have tests to mark. But it was great meeting you guys" she waved at them.  
"We'll have to meet again soon!"  
"Very soon" Abby giggled "And say hello to Gareth for me!"  
"Will do" Mary thankfully watched them turn a corner before she continued the walk back to her apartment. Crossing the narrow street, the streetlight outside her door flickered on. The same streetlight Gideon had parked beneath yesterday. Biting her lip, she clutched her keys, before determinedly putting them back in her purse, turning on her heal.

She started out walking, but as she turned the corner to Main Street she was flat out running. Panting, she pressed her back against the brick wall in the alley between Main Street and Market Street. Elliot was coming out of the narrow alleyway that lead to the bakery's back alley. He plugged in his earphones before jumping on his bike, cycling away humming to a Gazelle- song.  
Mary could not see Gideon through the front windows; the bakery was dark. Making sure the coast was clear; she sprinted across the street and into the dark back alley behind the bakery. Other than Gideon's parked van and a couple of trashcans, there was not much behind the bakery. There were no other windows facing this way from the surrounding buildings, save some frosted-glass windows in various back-doors. The only light was a pale white light above the green backdoor to the bakery.

Beginning to catch her breath, Mary sat down on the simple concrete steps below the door. It was just four blocks stacked on top of each other without any railing. She imagined Gideon having to carry stacks of pie boxes and sacks of flour up and down these stairs and wondered if he had ever fallen over, remembering how easily he had balanced six pie boxes down these steps last time she had been back her.

Her thoughts were cut short as she heard the door opening behind her. She quickly stood up, straightening her dress, hoping she did not look too flushed from the running.

Gideon was too preoccupied with finding the right key in his large keychain to notice her. First when he turned after locking the door did he see Mary standing there, smiling carefully. He nearly jumped off the stairs.

"How long have you been out here?" he took a quick look around, making sure the back alley was empty.  
"Not long" Mary assured him. "I… I just wanted to apologise. About the twins"  
Gideon chuckled "Nothing you could do 'bout that"  
They stood in silence as Gideon searched his mind for something to say. All he had wanted all day was a chance to be alone with her again, but now that he was he had no idea what to do.  
"Did you like the pie?"  
"Yea" Mary nodded, wondering if coming back had been a bad idea after all. "It was delicious, but..." she swallowed, looking down at her feet. "I had imagined having it with you" she glanced up at him, gauging his reaction.

Gideon felt a simultaneous rush of hot and cold down his spine.  
"Yeah.." he said awkwardly. "I didn't think it through much" he admitted.  
He watched helplessly as Mary nodded, looking down while fumbling with the strap on her purse. If he did not do or say anything soon she would leave, but he had no idea how to do this properly.  
"You're probably tiered…" she began, making Gideon panic.  
"Mary, wait" he interrupted, stumbling down the stairs towards her. "I know this is awfully forward, but I'd like to kiss you, again" he regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth.  
"Oh" Mary blinked, looking up at the fox now standing right in front of her. She would have blushed had she not been so surprised.  
Looking down at a stunned Mary, Gideon wished he could kick himself.  
"If... if you don't want to, at's fine" he quickly added.  
"No… I mean yes, I want to. Yes" Mary stuttered, a familiar tingle of anticipation spreading in her body.  
Gideon felt blood rush to his head with relief, but he still had no idea how to do this properly. Yesterday had been so natural, as if unavoidable. Now he was not even sure where to put his paws. Suddenly he remembered Travis mentioning something about her probably dreaming about being swept of her feet.

Mary let out a surprised giggle as Gideon firmly grabbed her waist, twirling her in a half circle so she could stand on the stairs beside him, bringing her up to his height. She barely had time to regain her balance before he caught her mouth with his, making her dizzy all over again. Gideon's paws were warm on her hips as she enthusiastically leaned into the kiss, locking her arms around his neck.  
Gideon's blood roared in his ears as he felt Mary press herself against him, her lips a little cold from the autumn air and tasting faintly of apples and caramel. Then any coherent thought was wiped from his mind as he felt her soft little tongue carefully glide over his canines.  
Blissfully unaware of his surroundings, Gideon missed the familiar sound of a scooter slowing down on the street in front of the bakery.

"Oi Gid! You back there?"  
Gideon jumped away from Mary as if burnt at the unexpected sound of Travis' voice in the alley. Mary, having been leaning all her weight on him, lost her balance and toppled forward. Flailing helplessly as she fell towards the trashcans, knocking one of them over with a loud crash. Gideon hurriedly crouched over her, a worried look in his eyes.  
"Sorry! You all right?" He whispered unnecessarily as the trashcan-lid noisily rolled to a stop by his van. Mary could only nod as she grit her teeth, holding her bruised elbow.

"Hey mate, what's all the…" Travis stopped dead in his tracks as he turned the corner into the back alley. Gideon was on all fours, crouching behind a knocked over trashcan, his wide eyes darting from Travis and back to whatever was on the ground beneath him. Feeling the hairs stand up on his back, Travis moved closer, not wanting to know, but needing to make sure.

A cold dread settled in his stomach when he spotted the black sheep lying beneath his friend. She was clutching her arm protectively around herself, clearly in pain.

"Get up" his voice was remarkably calm and steady, icy anger growing inside him.  
It took Gideon a moment to realise what this had to look like to him, making him slowly shake his head. "No, Travis, this ain't what…"  
"I said get up you bastard!" Travis exploded, grabbing a hold of Gideon shirt in an attempt to drag him away from Mary. Travis was no match for the large fox in strength, but the shock of it made Gideon stumbled to his feet. Glancing back at Mary sitting on the ground, he saw her looking just as alarmed as he felt.

"I worried you'd do something stupid, but never…" Travis was so furious he could barely get the words out. "Draggin' her into some alley like a, like a, a _savage_ " Travis was bearing his teeth now, claws out and ready to pounce. Gideon looked as if Travis had punched him in the face.  
"I'd never do that" he whispered, eyes big with hurt.  
"Stop!" Mary finally got on her feet, swiftly blocking Travis' way.  
"Gideon didn't do anything, I just lost my balance" she pleaded with him. "I swear Travis, he didn't hurt me"  
Travis' expression seemed to relax just a little, but he did not retract his claws.  
"Then what are you doin' here?" he asked suspiciously. Mary fell silent, her nose slowly turning a bright pink. The three stood in silence as Travis looked from one to the other.  
"Nah, no way… you wouldn't" he begun, but a quick glance from the blushing Mary to the uncomfortable Gideon confirmed that they indeed would.

Travis' anger and disbelief, only moments before having been directed at his own friend, easily settled on a new target.

"Listen here cotton- ball, ya need to understand something" his voice was a low hiss as he turned to Mary, the claw on his index finger inches away from her eye. "You saw that back there, what I thought he did? That was nothin'. Had I been anyone else he would be beaten to a pulp by now" Mary was trying to back away, but Travis matched her every step, never breaking eye contact.  
"Travis..." Gideon warned, but he continued as if he had not heard him.  
"Anyone sees ya, anyone so much as suspects ya, he gets it" Travis threatened, pointing his claw at Gideon. Gideon watched helplessly as his best friend took another step, forcing Mary back against the still standing trashcan.  
"This' prolly just some exciting fun to you eh; a little 'walk on the wild side?'"  
"No" Mary shook her head, her breathing rapid. "That's not true"  
"No? Ya think you can take it then, think you're though?"  
"Travis, stop" Gideon was becoming increasingly defensive; Mary's chest was heaving, her eyes big and frightened.  
"When your parents say they hate ya, your friends stop talking to ya. What you gonna do?"  
"I… I don't… I" Mary stuttered, tears starting to fill up in her eyes.  
"Don't know?" Travis finished for her, his mouth forming into the beginning of a snarl. "I'll tell ya what you'll do: You'll run. You'll throw him under the buss and run, because you're nothin' but a cowardly, weak little sheep" he spat, his canines fully bared, just an inch from her nose.  
"SHUT UP TRAVIS!" Gideon furiously yanked him away from her, slamming him against the side of the van.  
Mary scrambled away, watching in horror as Gideon easily pinned the ferret up against the van with one paw, his feet dangling off the ground. Travis only showed his shock for a split second, before the snarl was back on his face.

"Oh, this how it's gonna be now" Travis whispered. "Ya choosing some cotton-curled ewe over your best friend?" Gideon, realising he was baring his teeth, quickly closed his mouth. After a few deep breaths, he silently put Travis back down.  
"Didn't think so" Travis muttered coldly, straightening his jacket.

Mary was already running out of the alley as quickly as she could with the tears blurring her vision.  
Seeing her disappear around the corner, Gideon made to run after her. But Travis jumped in front of him, holding his paws up.  
"Don't" he warned. "I just saved ya a lot of trouble there mate"  
"Trouble!?" Gideon clenched his paws as the anger quickly rushed back. He let his claws dig into his palms, trying his best to keep it together. There had been a time when he would have pushed Travis to the ground without second thought if he had ever stepped in his way like that. Now however, the anger quickly left him, like air out of a balloon. Gideon felt his limbs growing heavy; he did not want to fight, he already felt defeated.

"No" he said slowly. "No, you didn't save me any trouble" Travis was eyeing him cautiously. Gideon seemed calm now, but he had not seen him this mad in years, and did not trust the storm to be over yet.  
"But you saved her a lot of trouble" Gideon slumped down, leaning his back against his van as he sat down. Reality was washing over him like a bucket of cold water.  
"I'm not worth loosing friends n' family over"

"Oi mate…" Travis said silently, still cautious. "At's not what I said"  
"But it's the truth" Gideon crossed his paws over his knees. Leaning his forehead against his arms he sat in silence for a long while.

Travis shifted his weight awkwardly from one leg to another, the silence in the alley pressing down on him. As if the slight shuffle of his feet against the tarmac reminded Gideon of his presence, the fox suddenly looked up over his arms. His eyes were burning on him, but not out of anger, rather despair.  
"If you ever" his voice was so low that Travis almost did not hear him. "Ever, bare your teeth at her again Travis, I can't promise what I'll do" Travis just stood silently, watching his friend slowly crumble in front of him. "I just can't…" his voice broke off, and he leaned his head back on his arms.  
"Look…" with the disbelief and anger gone, Travis for once felt lost for words.  
"Just leave me alone" he could hear the beginning of a sob in his friend's voice.  
Travis nodded, even though Gideon could not see it. "You have my number" he muttered before slowly walking out of the alley.

Starting up his scooter, Travis stared empty-eyed on the road in front of him. He had no idea how to fix what he had just broken.


	8. Car Repair

_I swear guys, these chapters just keep getting longer, but I can't help it!  
Sep.10.2016: Fixed some minor spelling errors, no plot change_

* * *

 **Chap 8: Car Repair.**

When her alarm rang Friday morning, all Mary wanted to do was call in sick. She had fallen asleep with her clothes on, crying on top of the covers. During the night, she had rolled herself into the quilted blanket, the smell of sweet pastry and bread that she had come to associate with Gideon lulling her to sleep. As she sat up her head started pounding, and she wondered if she actually could make up a believable excuse to call in sick.

However, she knew it would be hard for the school to find a substitute on such short notice, and she did not have the conscience to lie

Stepping into the shower, she was struck by how incredibly naïve she had been. Had she considered the consequences of what she had been doing at all? Maybe Travis was right. Because it was exciting, kissing a predator, and she had not given the possibility of anyone finding out any thought. She shuddered at the memory of Travis sharp teeth inches from her face, and then Gideon slamming him into the van like a rag-doll. And she had run like a coward, just as Travis said she would.  
Now, Gideon probably thought it was true as well, that he was just some fun to her. Some exciting fling that she would easily abandon if push came to shove. Letting out a sob, she sat down in the shower, allowing the hot water to soak her wool and ease the pain that had started throbbing in her chest.  
She had fallen for him slowly at first, but now, the way this hurt; there was no mistaking what she felt for him.

* * *

When Travis did not hear anything from Gideon on Friday, he had let it be, but on Saturday he could not act cool anymore and texted him: _U ok?_

When Gideon did not answer, he called. Then he called again, and again, and again.

Come Monday Gideon had six missed calls and four texts and Travis' was worried enough to try the bakery's phone.  
"Gideon Grey's Really Good Baked Stuff! How may I help you?" Elliot's voice chirped through the speaker, though not quite as enthusiastic as usual.  
"Hi kid. Your boss there?"  
"Yes.." Elliot said hesitantly, glancing back at the fox furiously baking in the kitchen, his jaws clenched tightly.  
"Put him on, will ya?"  
"I don't know Mr. Mustela… He specifically told me he did not want any phone calls today"  
"Kid, it's just Travis, cut the Mr-stuff. And just tell him it's 'bout a delivery mix-up or somethin', someone demanding to speak to the boss" the line fell silent for a while.  
"Ok…" Elliot said reluctantly.

"Hey boss?" Elliot carefully approached Gideon, who was over- kneading the pie dough to beyond rescue.  
"What?!" he snapped, making Elliot jump back a little.  
"There's… eh, been a mix-up with some deliveries" Elliot swallowed. He had never been comfortable with lying, even just small ones. "He demanded to speak to my boss"

Gideon slid his paw over his face and through his bangs, trying to control his temper. It was probably his own fault; Elliot had not taken that many orders last week. In addition, he had been so preoccupied with Mary lately, it was a wonder a mix-up had not happened earlier.

"I'll take it" seeing Elliot cautiously step out of his way, he added "Don't worry, it ain't your fault" he tried to smile, but just did not have it in him today.  
Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for what he assumed would be an uncomfortable conversation, maybe even having to give away something for free.

"Gideon Grey speaking, how may I help you?"  
"Hi mate" Gideon felt his jaw tightened at the sound of Travis' voice.  
"What do you want?"  
"Ya ain't answering your phone for four days, getting a little worried. A text tellin' me to bug off woulda been nice" there was an uncomfortable pause were Gideon's breathing was all he could hear. "So... how ya been?"  
"Busy"  
"Ah" the silence filled the line again, but at least he was not hanging up. Travis decided to jump right to it. "Look, Gid, about Thursday…"  
"Oh, no worries" Gideon interrupted, his voice dripping with bitterness. "Think Mary got the message loud and clear. And I'll do my best, you know, keepin' myself from draggin' her into some alley"  
"Gid, listen, I know ya wouldn't…"  
"Shut up" Gideon hissed into the phone, not wanting any of the customers noticing. "She ain't ever gonna want to see me again, so no risk of me doing something stupid"  
"Please Gid"  
"I have a bakery to run" Gideon hung up before Travis could respond.

Travis let out a frustrated hiss, slamming his phone down on the bench so hard the tools rattled. He knew Gideon had all right to be mad at him, but he could at least let him explain and apologise, even if it would not fix anything.  
"Ya messed up somethin' bad this time Trav" he muttered to himself as he got back to work on Mrs. Sweeny's busted exhaust pipe

Gideon closed his eyes for a second before walking back into the kitchen.  
"No more phone calls" he told Elliot as he passed, making the bunny's ears droop.

Gideon looked down on the clearly over- kneaded pie dough, feeling the frustration building up inside him. Using both paws, he threw the large ball of dough into the trashcan with much more force than necessary, making the trashcan rock from side to side with a metallic clatter. Taking a deep breath, he leaned his elbows on the sticky benchtop, resting his head in his paws.

He had been so stupid, inviting Mary over as if it they would ever be able to have a normal date. Travis was right: He had been risking getting her into some serious trouble if someone else had caught them together. Had there ever even been an interspecies couple in Bunnyburrow? None that he could think off right now, except for Travis' aunt who ran away, shunned by her own family. He was not worth that kind of consequences, and even if that had not been an issue, Mary would certainly not want anything to do with him again. Not after witnessing him snap and slam his best friend into a car.

Closing his eyes, he imagined Mary's mild melodic laugh, her lips pressing softly against his, tasting faintly of caramel and apples. He was going to hold on to those memories, because he was not likely to experience them again.  
Straightening his back, he started gathering up what he needed to make a new batch of dough, hoping the delay did not make them run out before lunchtime.

* * *

"Isn't that right Miss Mary?"  
"I'm sorry Ellie, what did you say?" Mary tried to focus back on the fourth grader. She had put the class in pairs, giving them the task of drawing geometrical shapes from measurements she had written on the board. She was walking around the classroom, pretending to follow their progression, but in reality, her mind was elsewhere entirely. Now she smiled apologetically at the brown bunny, squatting down by her desk.  
"I told Benjamin that there's a lot of fun for grown-ups to do at the farmers market, even though they can't go in the bouncing castle" Ellie said matter-of-factly. Benjamin was sitting beside her, uncomfortably fiddling with his crayons.  
"Yes, sure there is" Mary tried to smile, but she could feel it was not very convincing. "We drink coffee and talk with other adults, and buy fresh vegetables and flowers"  
"See?" Ellie said to Benjamin. "Your mom could come with you, and we could get cotton candy and jump in the bouncing castle"  
"I don't know" the young wolf cub said hesitantly.  
"Can you ask at least?" Ellie pouted, not willing to give in. Benjamin looked at Ellie's big pleading green eyes and finally sighed.  
"Ok, I'll ask. But I can't promise that mom's gonna let me go"  
Clearly satisfied with his answer, Ellie happily went back to colouring in her blue hexagram.

Sitting by her desk marking tests after school, Mary's phone rang, sending her heart into a gallop before she saw the caller ID.  
"Hi dad"  
"Hi sweetie, where are you?" she could hear the rumble of her father's pick-up truck in the background.  
"At work, why?"  
"Did you forget about us driving to Chuck with your car today?"  
"That's today?" Mary put her hoof over her eyes for a moment. The last couple of days had gone by in a blur, had it really been a week already? The weekend had passed without her noticing, all she knew was that when her alarm rang Monday morning she felt as if she had had no sleep at all. It had taken a great effort to just get dressed and go to work every morning. She looked down on her worn jeans and baggy college sweater and realised she must look like a total mess.  
"We really should not be late Mary, this is a favour after all" her father reminded her.  
"Yes, sorry dad, I'll be right out" Mary quickly gathered her things before hurrying out of the building, almost forgetting to lock the doors behind her.  
Bill was already waiting outside the school gates, her tiny car strapped to his truck with the front wheels on the truck's flat bed.

"You don't look too well sweetie" her father said concerned as he took in the dark bags under her eyes. "You coming down with something?"  
"Yea" Mary sniffled, playing along, any excuse to avoid more questions. "Think it might be the flu"  
"Guess it can't be avoided. Lots of germs in schools you know; all them sniffling kids"  
"Yea" Mary muttered in agreement.

She did not say anything else for the rest of the ride, she just nodded along to her father going on about the harvesting and Gareth's idea to sow half the fields with barley instead of wheat for next season. Mary looked out the window at the pale sky passing behind the trees. It had been August only a week ago, yet the light already seemed colder.

Pulling up by the garage, Mary felt her heart sink as Travis walked out to meet them, his paws nonchalantly in his pockets. She had forgotten that he was the one who was doing the repair.

"Just back it into the garage, I'll get right to it" he said to her father through the open driver's seat window, never offering her a glance.  
Bill skilfully backed the truck and her small car into the garage, waiting for the ferret to detach it before parking out front. Mary climbed out of the truck, reluctantly following behind her father as he walked back towards Travis.

Having heard them pull up, Chuck came waddling out of his small office behind the garage, his tail swinging heavily from side to side as he walked.  
"Bill!" he called out.  
"Chuck, long time no see" her father greeted him, grasping his paw firmly.  
"Can't complain you know. Want some coffee?"  
Before Mary could protest, the two old friends headed through the garage and into the break room in the back, leaving her alone with Travis and her car. She uncomfortable stood by the garage door, not wanting to move closer than necessary. He did not even look at her as he popped the hood.  
"What's the problem?" it took her a few moments to realise he meant the car.  
"It… it won't start" she stuttered.  
"Ignition workin'?"  
"What?"  
"Does it make a sound when ya turn the key?" he sighed, too used to customers not knowing the basics about cars to get annoyed.  
"It just sotra choughs" Mary said, keeping her eyes down, embarrassed. "It's not the battery, I checked that, so…"  
"Could be the dynamo" Travis muttered more to himself than her, quickly brushing passed her to get to his toolbox. Mary instinctively flinched away from him.  
"I ain't gonna bite your face off!" he snapped at her, making her ears flop against her head.  
"Sorry" she whispered, folding her arms around her middle.

Travis' shoulders slumped as he stood over his tools with his back against her. He held a screwdriver in his hand for a moment, before resolutely putting it back into the toolbox.

"Look, Mary" he began, turning around. "I crossed the line last week"  
For the first time since she arrived he actually looked at her. Her eyes seemed dull and tiered, and her wool was bushier than he remembered it. She avoided looking at him, and kept her eyes on the concrete floor between them. It gave him a sick feeling in his gut.

"I said a lot of shit I didn't have a right to say, and the snarling…. I should never a' done that. I just don't want Gid getting into trouble"  
"I get it" Mary whispered, feeling the pain pressing down on her chest again. "I don't want him to get into trouble because of me neither" a few days ago she would have cried, but now she just felt empty. She had been so incredibly foolish; Travis had been right, had anyone else seen them… She did not want to think about that.  
"If you don't mind. I'll wait outside" She did not wait for an answer before walking out of the garage. She sat down on a stack of tyres by the wall, the bleak September sun trying its best to warm her as she folded her arms around her legs, leaning her forehead against her knees.

Travis had been right about the dynamo, it would be easy to replace, and they already had a matching one in storage. Standing in front of the shelves in the cramped storage room, he looked straight at the dynamo. If he was lucky, Mary could drive her car home in twenty minutes, tops.  
Scratching his neck, he let out a sigh. "Aw, dammit" Turning on his heel, he walked back into the garage and out to the driveway.

"This gonna take a while" he said as he approached Mary sitting on the stack of tyres, leaning her chin on her knees. In the bright autumn air, he could clearly see the bags under her eyes. "Ya can pick up your car tomorrow, should be done by five"  
Mary nodded, keeping her eyes down as she walked past him to find her father.  
"Thanks" she mumbled. **  
**

* * *

Travis knocked determinatley on the bakery's back door, intent on making Gideon listen to what he had to say even if it took all evening. But as Gideon stepped out on the stairs, Travis almost gaped.  
"What do you want Travis?"  
"Shit mate, ya look worse an' Mary" he said before he could think.

Where Mary had looked like she had slept badly, Gideon looked like he had not slept at all. His eyes were bloodshot, and his fur looked greasy. Gideon was usually very precise about his appearance around the bakery, but now his apron had more stains than usual, as if he had not changed it in a couple of days.  
At the mention of Mary he tensed, sending Travis a suspicious look.

"Jeez, I didn't do nothin'" he put his paws up defensively. "She just came by to fix her car"  
"So what?" Gideon asked, his arms hanging heavy by his side.  
Travis sighed, putting his paws in the pockets of his overalls; he had never been good at easing into tricky topics.  
"You should call her or somethin'" he shrugged.  
"Oh that's just swell Travis, at's wonderful" Gideon spat. "First you accuse me of attacking her, you snarl at her, you.."  
"This is me apologising, alright!?" Travis yelled, interrupting him. "I overreacted! I messed up! I'm tryin' to tell ya, but you ain't listenin'!"  
He had Gideon's attention now, taking a deep breath he continued: "I'm sorry. I had no right to say or do any of that stuff"

Gideon stood for a while looking at his friend at the bottom of the stairs, feeling the frustration and anger slowly wash away again. He felt so tired without it.

"Yea" he finally said. "I'm sorry too" he said slowly, sitting down beside Travis on the stairs. "For throwing you into the van. I shouldn't have done that"  
"Nah" Travis said, gently bumping his fist against his shoulder. "I was snarlin' at your girl. Prolly done the same if I could lift ya big self"  
Gideon shot him a sad smile  
"She ain't my girl Travis, she won't want to see me again"  
"Ya sure about that?" Travis remembered Mary's tired eyes as she sat on the stacked tyres outside the garage.  
"When I said ya looked worse an' her, it's not by much. I think ya should call her"  
"And what do you suggest I say eh?" Gideon asked, leaning his forearms on his knees. "Hi, I used to be a real bully, bet you thought I changed, but I will slam my best friend into a car for lookin' at you wrong."  
"Ya know, some girls find 'at stuff romantic" Gideon sent him a sceptical look. "But your right, Mary prolly ain't that kind of girl."  
"Just drop it Travis" Gideon sighed, rubbing his paw over his eyes, suddenly giving a short sarcastic laugh.  
"What crazy world am I living in, where I think a fox can love a sheep"

Travis was silent for a while, studying his friend sitting with his head in his paws, his fur in a unwashed ruffle below his uneven shirtsleeves.  
"You're that far gone eh?"  
"Yea" Gideon nodded, dropping his paws down. "Afraid I am"  
"Look mate… I ain't saying it's impossible. Just want ya to be careful; this ain't no movie were things turn out all rosy in the end. People find out, it's gonna be tough"  
"Ain't gonna be anything to find out" Gideon said defeated. "I'm not worth the trouble Travis, best I just leave her alone."

Though Travis had to agree that was probably the safest option, he could not stand his friend talking about himself like that. The way his eyes seemed empty when he spoke made him feel guilty of breaking something he had no right to mess with in the first place.

Before he could find a good way to tell him about the dynamo sitting uninstalled on the shelf in the garage's storage room, Gideon got up.  
"I need to get back inside, afternoon crowd coming in" he said, trying to brush off the now likely permanent stains on his apron.  
Travis nodded.  
"Oi Gid" he called after him. "Appreciate you not slammin' the door in my face; I was real jerk"  
"Yea, well" Gideon shrugged. "So was I"

* * *

Pacing back and forth over the concrete floor the next day, Travis ran his idea over in his mind again. He was still not sure if he should go through with it, he had no guarantee it would work out. Glancing at his phone he saw the minutes change again; it was already past lunch. He kept looking at his phone for a few seconds, undecided, before finally making the call.

Thankfully, this time Gideon picked up his cell on the third ring.  
"Travis?"  
"Hi mate" Travis tried his best to sound casual. "Was wonderin'; ya have time to drop by the garage this afternoon?"  
"Sure, I can stop by after closing-up" Gideon tried to sound positive, but the lack of sleep was becoming apparent in his voice.  
"I was thinking more five-ish?" Travis ventured.  
"Elliot could hold the fort for a short while I guess, but why?"  
"I just need your help fixin something"  
"What? You know I know nothing about cars" Gideon said surprised.  
"No, no, it's more personal, like... Gid, will you just come?" Travis was getting frustrated, realising he had not prepared a good enough explanation.  
"Alright…" Gideon said hesitantly  
"Great! See you at five" Travis hurriedly hung up before his friend could ask any more questions.

* * *

Bill looked worried as his daughter as he dropped her off at the garage to pick up her car. If possible, she looked even worse than the day before.  
She was even wearing the same worn college sweater and jeans, and her wool, usually gathered in a neat bun on her head, was loose and un-kept.

"You know Mary, you're allowed to take a sick day" he said concerned as she climbed out.  
"Yea, maybe I should" she smiled, but her smile seemed strained to him.  
"You sure you'll be alright driving home?"  
"Yes, don't worry. Have fun at bridge"  
"Okey. But you call me if you need anything, alright sweetie?"  
"Tanks dad, I will" she waved as the truck disappeared down the driveway.  
All she wanted to do now was to get her car back and drive home to her bed. Maybe take her father's advice and call in sick tomorrow. The thought of just sleeping until Monday, never leaving her apartment seemed awfully tempting at the moment.

Travis was standing by the trunk of her car just inside the garage, twirling her keys between his fingers while he watched the clock on the wall.  
"You're early" he said, apparently annoyed.  
"You said five, right?" she glanced at the clock showing four fifty five.  
"It ain't five yet"  
Mary just looked at him, too tired to be bothered.

"Had to change the dynamo" Travis begun, still twirling her keys on his index finger. "Didn't have it in storage, so had to get it from the Tri-Burrows central car-part dealer. Was quite the drive I'll tell ya"  
"Ok, thanks" Mary held out her hoof for the keys, but Travis just started twirling them on his other paw.  
"Ya know, ya should prolly change the oil as well, and the filter. Yea, the filter will definitively need replacing soon" Travis glanced nervously at the clock on the wall; he was running out of ideas.  
"I'll keep it in mind" Mary said, still holding her hoof out towards him.  
"And the carburettor, it rattles"  
"What?" Mary was too exhausted to understand what he was talking about, and beginning to get annoyed with his stalling.

To Travis relief, he picked up the sound of a car driving over the gravely driveway.  
" 'Scuse me a minute" Travis said, before disappearing out of the garage in his usual ferret like manner. To Mary's annoyance, he pocketed her car keys again as he did.  
She could hear him talking to someone in the driveway as he came walking back.  
"It's just in here mate"

Mary turned around, ready to all but demand her car keys back, but her breath caught in her throat like a ball.  
Gideon was standing right in front of her, his flannel shirt open over a white T-shirt. The pain that had become a dull throbbing in her chest over the past days came back with full force, together with an extreme need to jump right up into his arms. She felt like a poorly built dam, all the feelings that were suddenly surfacing threatening to burst out any minute. As if to keep herself together, she wrapped her arms around herself, gripping the sleeves of her sweater tightly.

Every fibre in Gideon's body was screaming at him to reach out to her, to hold her, to do something, anything. But he stood as nailed to the floor, unable to move.  
She was clutching her arms around herself protectively, looking up at him with beautiful blue eyes on the verge of tears.

"Right" Travis said as he walked up behind Gideon, glancing between the pair who just stood staring at each other.  
"You guys say what ya need to say, I'll be outside" he quickly left, leaving them alone in silence.

"Mary I…" Gideon drew his breath several times to continue the sentence, but could not get the words out.  
"I.. I'm so sorry" Mary whispered, blinking back the tears that had started building up.  
"I-I was naïve, and I didn't think about the consequences of what I was doing, and if I hurt you…I.." she was crying in earnest now, having to stop to dry her cheeks with her sleeve.  
"Don't be sorry" Gideon said softly, his chest aching as he watched the tears stream down her face.  
"I didn't think either, and I don't want you getting any trouble because of me"  
"I don't want to get you into trouble either" Mary gave up trying to dry her tears away.  
"So if you don't want to see me anymore, that's fine" she continued, even though the steady stream of tears reviled that would be anything but fine.  
Gideon opened his mouth a few times, never managing to produce any words. He just wanted to comfort her, but he could not decide on how to.  
"But I, I need you to know that you are so much more than just _fun_ to me" she tried steadying her voice, taking deep breaths, looking pleadingly into his eyes.  
"I'm… I'm in love with you Gideon"

Gideon felt his face go slack, and then his knees followed, bringing him down in front of her.  
Cupping her face with his paws, he kissed her almost desperately through her tears, feeling everything around them disappear into a fog.

Pulling away, he carefully wiped her tears away with his thumbs.  
"I don't ever wanna be the reason you cry again" he whispered. Making Mary smile as she sniffled, trying in vain to stop crying.  
"And I think I was a gonner from the moment you stepped into my bakery, Mary Fields"

Mary let out a relieved laugh, falling into his arms, burying her face in his soft flannel shirt.

Cautiously glancing into the garage, Travis found his best friend on his knees on the dirty cement floor, embracing Mary, engulfing her in red fur. Maybe this was not a good idea in the long run, but the way she was gripping his shirt, and the way Gideon circled his tail around her made Travis feel he had made the right decision anyway.

"Your shirt's getting wet" Mary apologetically looked up at Gideon, her tears finally drying up.  
"Don't care" he muttered, resting his forehead against hers, taking deep breaths to fill his lungs with her scent.  
"Can I…" he begun. "Can we try again?"  
"Yes" Mary nodded, a careful smile coming back on her lips.  
"Sunday? The bakery will be empty, I'll do a proper date"  
"Yea" Mary gave a small laugh. "Yea, I'd like that"  
A warm smile spread across Gideon's face at the sound of her laughing again.

Travis uncomfortably cleared his throat as he walked back into the garage.  
"So, you good?" he asked, leaning his shoulder against the garage doorframe.  
"Yea" Gideon said, still leaning his forehead against Mary's. "All good"

Gideon slowly got up from the floor, comfortably holding Mary's three-cloven hoof in his paw, wondering at how familiar the gesture felt.

"Here" Travis said, throwing Mary her car keys. "We good?"  
"Yes" Mary nodded. "Thank you Travis" she said sincerely.  
"Yea, yea, whatever" he put his hands in his pockets, shrugging uncomfortably.  
"Chuck prolly gonna be back soon, so.."  
"I'll get going" Mary quickly finished for him, reluctantly letting go of Gideon's paw.  
"See you later then?"  
"Yea" he leaned down, quickly placing a kiss on her forehead. "I'll call you"

Travis watched his friend's blissful smile as Mary's car disappeared down the driveway.  
"What?" Gideon asked as he noticed Travis looking at him.  
"Look, it's great to see ya happy n' all mate, but you gotta let me think this is a bit weird" Gideon raised an eyebrow at him.  
"Hey, how'd ya feel if I started dating a squirrel or somethin'?"  
"I think that'd suit you actually" Gideon chuckled.  
"Oh, shut up. I ain't dating some skittish squirrel" Travis playfully hit Gideon's arm, before walking back into the now empty garage, save the tools and the odd oil-stain.  
"I don't know 'bout you mate, but I need a beer"  
"Thanks, but no" Gideon said, brushing of his dirty jeans. "Need to get back to the bakery and Elliot, feel like I should give him a couple of days off. I haven't been easy workin' with lately"  
"Are ya ever?" Travis mocked, opening a beer from the mini-fridge.  
"You're one to talk" Gideon smirked, fishing his car keys out of his pocket. Pausing for a moment, he turned back to the ferret.

"Hey Travis" he said as Travis took a big gulp from the beer can. "Thank you"  
"Just be careful, yea?" Travis warned, wiping his mouth with the back of his paw.  
"Yea, I will" Gideon nodded, raising his paw in good-bye. "See you"  
"See ya" Travis held the beer up in a toast as his friend walked out to his van.  
As Gideon's pink delivery van disappeared down the driveway and out on the main road, Travis lowered the garage door, closing up shop for the day.

Outside the sun was low on the autumn sky, bathing everything in a golden glow, promising a few more crisp days before the next rainstorm.


	9. Farmers Market

_Hi! Sorry, I know I am a week overdue, so thank you for your patience. Work has been hectic and the dialog in this chapter was tricky to get right, I have re-written some parts more times than I care to count. As always I hope you enjoy it =) Sep.10.2016: Fixed some spelling and grammar, no plot or dialogue changes._

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Farmers Market**

The farmer's market was held every Saturday from early spring until late autumn in time for the last harvest. Several small wooden booths and stands, together with tents and small carts, stood in neat rows over the open grass-plain at the end of Main Street. It marked the end of the town and the beginning of the farms; golden fields of wheat, barley and corn stretching out as patchwork, and beyond that one could make out the green leafs of carrots and cabbage.  
Once a month the council brought out the bouncing castle and old Sid brought his cotton candy machine to the market. Even though eight years retired, he still came once a month like clockwork; he had been the highlight of the market for decades.

Mary's heart was fluttering in her chest as she walked through the marketplace towards where Gideon's booth should be. Noticing the familiar pink and white striped tablecloth he used in his booth, she quickly made her way towards it, before remembering she had to act casual. It would probably look better if she bought her vegetables first; then came over to the pies.  
She passed Gideon's booth just as he handed two bunnies their change. She shot him a quick smile, nodding to her basket to signal that she was going to do some shopping first. He quickly nodded back at her, to a passer-by it would not look like more than a polite greeting between acquaintances.  
She knew it was not going to be much, just buying a pie, maybe talking a little if there was no one standing too close. But she looked forward to it anyway, and either way she would see him again tomorrow with the whole bakery to themselves. She was not sure if she was excited or nervous or a mix of both.

As Mary made her way between the various stands with fresh produce, pickles and jams, she noticed an elegant looking wolf in a dark grey coat perfectly complimenting her light, almost white, fur. She was holding her purse at her shoulder, the graceful predator looking somewhat out of place in the relaxed atmosphere of the farmers market. Holding her hand was Benjamin, searching the crowd nervously. Other mammals eyed them with suspicious curiousness as they passed them, more or less discreetly whispering among themselves.  
Resolutely straightening her cardigan, Mary walked up to them, putting on her most friendly smile.

"Hi! You must be Benjamin's mother" she greeted, reaching out her hoof. "I'm Mary Fields, I have your son in math" she quickly sent the nervous wolf cub a reassuring smile. As usual when greeting larger mammals, the handshake was rather awkward; Benjamin's mother had to bend down considerably.  
"Hi, yes, Eva Wolfskinsky" she replied with a soft voice, though it seemed a little unsteady.  
"Nice to meet you Mrs. Wolfskinsky" Mary smiled, noting the wedding ring on her finger.  
"Just Eva, please" she prompted, unconsciously turning the ring around with her thumb.  
"Well then, please call me Mary"

Mary was growing increasingly uncomfortable; she could feel everyone's eyes on them. The small-town-curiosity, but at the same time weariness of strangers, was very much present in Bunnyburrow. Mary did not want to leave them alone to be stared at, but at the same time she felt a growing need to blend back in with the crowd. She blamed it on the 'stick-with-the-herd' instinct buried somewhere in her brain.  
Then, as if on que, she heard a friendly voice that made her heart jump in her chest.

"Welcome to Bunnyburrow" Gideon smiled widely, holding out two warm chocolate chip cookies wrapped in parchment paper. He was back in his pink-striped apron, rather than the plainer blue one he used in the bakery, his blue plaid shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"Thank you" Eva said surprised as he handed her the cookie. "What do we say Ben?"  
"Thanks" Benjamin said, eying the fox curiously as he got the other.  
"This is Gideon Grey" Mary introduced. "The best baker in the Tri-Burrows"  
"At's a very unofficial title" Gideon chuckled, giving Mary a warm sideways glance.

Mary was acutely aware of how close he was standing, his paw almost brushing against her arm as he reached it out to shake Eva's paw.  
Even though Gideon was quite large for a fox, he still only reached up to the middle of Eva's chest.  
"Nice to meet you both" he smiled down at Benjamin who was devouring his cookie.  
"So where you all from?"  
Gideon decided to bury his paws in his pockets as he had a strong urge to put his arm around Mary's shoulder as he spoke.

"Zootopia, we used to live in Tundratown" Benjamin said matter of factly, the fur on his face full of cookie crumbles.

"That's some change, from Tundratown to Bunnyburrow" Gideon remarked, amused at the cub's grown up tone of voice. Benjamin nodded, starting to like this friendly fox.  
"Yea, but we had to move 'cause.."  
"Because I lost my job" his mother quickly interrupted, putting a firm paw on his shoulder.  
"I got a new position at the Tri-Burrow hospital, as a nurse, so we moved here"

Mary and Gideon shared a brief concerned glance, both noticing the dark look on Benjamin's face.  
"Well, I hope you are adjusting to the small town life alright" Mary said. "I know it can be tough, moving to e new place where you don't know anyone" she added, smiling down at Benjamin. He just nodded, his mother's paw still on his shoulder.

"Benjamin! You came!" an excited Ellie exclaimed as she dragged her mother towards the small group. Benjamin's face lit up at the sight of the small bunny.  
"Hi Benjamin's Ma!" she beamed, holding out her paw to the wolf towering over her.  
"I'm Elise Hopps, but everyone calls me Ellie"  
"N-nice to meet you" Eva said, a little taken aback by the young bunny's unchecked enthusiasm.  
"Sarah Hopps" her mother said in an apologetic tone, forcing the wolf to bend down again to shake her paw. "I believe our kids are in the same class" Sarah continued in a conversational manner.  
"Yes" Eva said gripping her purse nervously, about to try to continue the small talk when another voice cut into the group.  
"Mary, how nice to see you here" Claudia joined the group with her husband, their six-year old cub between them.  
"Eva" the cheetah nodded friendly to the wolf, having already met her at the beginning of the school year.  
"Mrs. Eva" Ellie's voice piped up through the grown-ups boring chatter.  
"Can Benjamin come to the bouncing castle? My mom will be watching us all the time, right mom?"  
"I'll keep an eye on the kids" Sarah smiled reassuringly at Eva.  
"So you can stay here and talk with other adults and drink coffee" Ellie assured.  
"Ellie" her mother huffed, shooting her a stern look.  
Mary had to hide a smile behind hoof, recognising her own words from the geometry lesson.

"Can I go too?" Kelly, Claudia's daughter chimed in hopefully.  
Claudia shot Sarah a questioning look.  
"Oh, one more makes no difference to me" she chuckled, thinking of her 236 children.

"Alright honey" Claudia crouched down in front of her daughter. "Remember what we say?" she asked, holding up her paws in front of her, making her daughter mimic the gesture.  
"Keep your claws in your paws!" Kelly eagerly repeated after her mother, before running after Ellie and Benjamin, already on their way.

"Interesting rhyme" Eva noted.  
"Yea" Oscar, Claudia's husband said. "Had to come up with something for her to remember, we were going through four kiddie- pools each summer" he chuckled, putting his arm around his wife's shoulder. Gideon felt a tinge of envy as he did, and wondered if he ever would be allowed to do the same.  
"I know the problem" Eva smiled, finally seeming to grow more comfortable.  
"Say, how about coffee?" Oscar asked her. "We were going to get a bite to eat anyway, your free to join us" he offered. Eva seemed to hesitate a second before she accepted, the three predator parents leaving Mary and Gideon alone in the middle of the marketplace.

Gideon took a cautious step away from her, knowing very well him standing so close could not be excused now that the others had left.  
"That was really nice of you" Mary said softly. "The cookies"  
"Aw, you know" Gideon shrugged, smiling modestly. "Just trying to be welcoming"

Gideon quickly glanced around them, making sure no one was paying them any extra mind before lowering his voice to near a whisper.  
"I know I'm seeing you tomorrow n'all, but if-if you have time later…" Mary quickly nodded, trying not to be too obvious.  
"I'll have to stay a while after the market…" he continued.  
"I'll come by" she promised in a hurried whisper, failing to hide her smile.  
In the whim of the moment, Gideon quickly winked at her before walking back to his pie-booth, leaving Mary to hide her blushing nose.

* * *

"Something wrong, you need a break?" Ellie asked concerned. Benjamin had seemed all happy at first, but now he had almost stopped jumping, his grey eyes looking gloomy. Jumping their way out of the brightly coloured castle, Ellie gestured to her mother that they were going for cotton candy.  
"Stay within the market place!" her mother ordered as Ellie led Benjamin towards old Sid's cotton candy machine.

"I don't really feel like cotton candy" Benjamin said carefully as they made their way towards the line.  
"Oh.." Ellie said, furrowing her brow. "What do you feel like then?"  
Benjamin fell silent, seemingly conflicted about something.  
"Are you going to be sic? You wanna sit down?" Ellie asked, wrinkling her nose as she remember how she had very nearly thrown up in the bouncing castle herself once, but that was _after_ eating too much cotton candy. When Benjamin nodded, Ellie resolutely took his paw, leading him to a log she knew lay a little out of the way, so he would not be embarrassed if he had to throw up.

"It's ok" she reassured him as they sat down. "I've seen my siblings throw up loads of times"  
"I'm not gonna throw up" Benjamin sighed, slumping as he sat on the log.  
"Ok..? Ellie said questioningly, but thankfully did not push the subject any further, opting for quiet for once.  
"Hey Ellie?" Benjamin said after a while, making her ears angle towards him. "We're friends right?"  
"Of course we are" she smiled at him, still a little concerned.  
"So can I tell you a secret?" he asked, nervously fiddling with the claw on his index finger. "And you promise not to tell anyone?"  
"Sure, I promise not to tell" Ellie said solemnly, scooting a little closer to the young wolf on the log. Benjamin nodded, taking a deep breath while looking down on the ground between his knees.  
"My dad is dead"  
"Oh, I'm so sorry" Ellie whispered, putting her paw on his shoulder, though not understanding why that had to be secret.  
"He died just before we moved" Benjamin dried his cheek with the back of his paw, trying not to make it obvious. "Or, we moved because he died" he added.  
"I'm sorry…" Ellie still did not understand why he had to keep it secret. Benjamin noticed her questioning look, pressing his lips together he tried to think of an easy way to explain.  
"We had to move because when my dad d-died" he had to stop to dry his nose. "When he died, we weren't safe anymore"  
"What do you mean, not safe?"  
"I'm not sure exactly, my mom won't tell me, but I think my uncle has something to do with it" he made grimace. "He's real scary"  
"You think he'll do something bad?" Ellie sent a grateful thought to her not even remotely scary uncle Stu.  
"He's done a lot of bad things already" Benjamin said deep in thought.

Even though she was curious, Ellie decided against asking about what kind of bad things he had done. She reckoned they had to be very bad for Benjamin's mom to move them all the way from Zootopia.  
"I promise not to tell" she reassured him again.  
"Tanks" Benjamin gave her a grateful glance.  
"I think I'd like some cotton candy now" he added with a small smile, making Ellie light up like a Christmas candle.  
"I promise, it's the best cotton candy in the world" Ellie assured him, the enthusiasm back in her voice as they walked back out amongst the market stands and tents.

* * *

Gideon loaded another crate of apples into his van, the pie racks removed for the transport back to the bakery. He had bought two dozen crates from the Sweeny's, but now he realised he would probably have to do two trips to get them all back. There was still ten crates at the back of his pie- booth, and the van was already loaded to full capacity.  
Deciding to take a breather, he sat down on one of the crates, leaning his head against the thin back wall of his booth. It was a nice spot; shielded by the stacked crates on both sides, all he could see was the golden fields stretching out behind the market place. The latter starting to fall silent as mammals were making their way home for supper, content with the day's shopping and socialising.

His ears twitched up as he heard soft footsteps on the grass behind the crates. He knew who it was even before Mary turned the corner, making a warm smile spread across his face.

"Hi" she smiled, suddenly feeling shy, although she knew she had no reason to be.  
"Afternoon" Gideon replied, moving over a little on the crate, making room for her to sit beside him.

Mary happily walked over, carefully sitting down next to him on the crate. Her hoofs dangling over the grass as she smoothed out her skirt.  
Gideon was still leaning against the wall, looking down at her sitting on the edge of the crate, her hoofs neatly folded in her lap.  
Drawing and releasing a breath, he finally gave in to the yearning he had had all day and put his right arm around her. Mary tensed for just a second, before relaxing, letting herself lean against him, resting her head on his chest. Gideon buried his nose in her wool, inhaling deeply a couple of times, revelling in her scent. This was something else; holding her close, feeling her breath against his shirt, it was incredibly calming and exciting at the same time.

"You make my head spin" Mary could hear the smile in his voice as his breath tickled her skin. She closed her eyes against his shirt, sighing contently as she felt his right paw coming to rest comfortably in her hip.  
"This is crazy" she whispered, still able to hear a few mammals strolling past in front of the booth.  
"But it's nice" she concluded, nuzzling her nose against his shirt as Gideon's thumb carefully stroked the fabric of her dress. A soft murmur, almost like a purr, vibrating in his chest.

They sat in silence until the sound of the last lingering mammals disappeared from the market place, leaving only the rustling wind and the sweet fresh smell of apples behind.

Mary tilted her head back, glancing up at Gideon who were looking at her under heavy eyelids. There was no need to say anything; they had been waiting for the same thing. Shifting a little in her seat, Mary reached up, carefully touching her lips to his.  
Gideon sighed as the tingling rush of hot and cold made his fur stand up at the contact, before a blissful warmth spread from his chest and all the way out to his fingertips. His left paw slid up to the back of Mary's head, supporting her as she reached up to him. His other paw still on her hip, pressing her against him.

As the kiss deepened, Mary shifted again to lean more comfortably against his side, bringing her right knee up to rest on his thigh. Gideon groaned softly as his grip on her tightened, making her smile against his lips.  
There was no Travis to interrupt them, no stupid pigs walking by; they were shielded from the rest of the world by the booth and apple-crates, empty fields stretching out in front of them as far as the eye could see.

Mary clutched a fistful of his shirt as their tongues touched, a rush of heat making her limbs feel heavy.  
Something changed in Gideon, the blissful warmth gradually growing hot and impatient, his palm beginning to burn on her hip. It happened so slowly that he did not notice at first, not before he became aware that his paw was no longer on Mary's hip, but had travelled down her thigh, resting on her knee while his fingertips brushed longingly against the wool just under the hem of her skirt.  
Drawing a sharp breath, he broke away from the kiss, bringing his paw back up around her waist.  
Mary was breathing heavily against the fur on his neck, the trail his paw had travelled still burning on her thigh.

"Darn Mary, I-I didn't mean to do that" he breathed apologetically.  
"It's fine" Mary smiled up at him. "I don't mind" she felt herself blush as she said it, making Gideon smile hesitantly back at her.  
He gave her forehead a quick kiss before leaning back against the wall, keeping both his arms around her as she placed her head back on his chest.  
Closing his eyes, Gideon took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down but at the same time enjoy the feeling of Mary's warm body resting against him.

The light was changing into a warm glow as the sun started to set on the horizon, bathing the fields in an orange gleam. Mary sighed as she reluctantly sat back up, missing his arms around her already.  
"I have to get going" she explained, "I'm meeting the twins".  
Gideon made a grimace, prompting Mary to giggle.  
"I love when you laugh" he said warmly, spontaneously placing a quick kiss on her nose. "And when you blush" he added as her nose turned dark pink.  
"Well, you're the main reason I do both" she smiled shyly, before carefully sliding down from the crate.  
"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" she asked. "About five?"  
"Yeah" Gideon smiled, standing up as well. Suddenly feeling a little nervous about having to make dinner. "At's perfect"  
Mary nodded, smiling up at him with big blue eyes, making his knees go weak again. He carefully bent down, placing his knuckle under her chin as he gave her a soft kiss.  
"See you at five"  
"Five" Mary repeated in a whisper, a light blush still on her nose.

As she snuck back out from behind the booth, she could hear Gideon beginning to whistle, making her smile grow even wider.

* * *

The clock hanging on the wall above the door in the bakery kitchen showed five past four, and Gideon was beginning to panic. He opened a window wide to get most of the smoke from the burned sauce out before it set off the fire alarm. He was beginning to run out of options if he was going to have anything else than pie and cookies to serve for dinner. Picking up his phone, Gideon realised he needed help.

"Gideon! What a nice surprise" Vera greeted warmly as she answered the phone.  
"Hi Ma, can-can I as you a favour" Gideon said as he sat down on the worn wooden chair by the stove  
"Of course honey"  
"You remember that pasta-pot you used to make on Sunday's before?"  
"Oh sure, I still make it sometimes" he could hear the clattering of dishes as she spoke.  
"Can I get the recipe? I tried making it from memory, but" he glanced over at the red and brown burnt mess on stove. "It ain't going to well"  
"Hold on a minute honey, I need my glasses" he heard the shuffle of his mother's feet as she got her glasses and a heavy thump as she got out her big recipe book.

"So" she said as she picked the pone back up. Gideon held his breath, knowing what was coming. "You cooking for two?" it may have sounded nonchalant to others, but he easily recognised the hopefulness in her voice. He suddenly wished he could tell her everything, because he could use her advice on more than just the cooking.  
"Yea" he said on an exhale.  
"Oh, Gideon!" Vera was trying to suppress her motherly curiosity, but failed. "What is she like? Do I know her?"  
"No, she's from outa town" which was not a complete lie, since Mary had just moved back from college. Picking up on her son's hesitation, Vera was quick to add:  
"I don't mean to pry honey, no need to tell me anything if you don't want to"  
"I know" he said, before continuing in a lowered voice "She's lovely Ma, she's real nice, and smart"  
"You like her?" his mother asked softly.  
"A lot" he said, knowing full well he was in much deeper than that by this point.  
"Then that's all that really matters to me honey" his mother assured him.

Gideon wondered if she would say the same if she knew who Mary was.  
"Now, you got a pen?" he could hear the turning of pages in his mother worn recipe book. "And if you're having a lady over, you should serve some nice wine with this"

Gideon was not much of a drinker, save the odd beer with Travis, thought he thought he might have a bottle of something in the storage room. A Christmas present from a customer from years ago.

With his mother's instructions carefully jotted down, Gideon got back to work. He had already made the pasta; he only needed to boil it. Thankfully, he had bought enough ingredients to have another go at the sauce. Chopping onions and tomatoes, he nervously glanced up checking the time, hoping that Mary did not show up early.

* * *

Knocking on the back door, Mary cast a cautious glance around the alley, not wanting anyone to see her. She wondered what looked more suspicious; knocking on the back door, obviously trying to hide, or knocking on the front door, in full view of everyone passing by.

Her thought process was cut short as Gideon opened the door with a nervous smile, his bangs in a ruffle on his head as if he had run his paws through them one too many times. She had to smile at his uneven shirtsleeves and apron, stained with what looked like tomato sauce. He made her feel overdressed in her cornflower-blue dress and white cardigan.

"You look lovely" he blurted out as soon as he saw her.  
"Thank you" she smiled, smoothing her hooves over her dress. "You look like you've been busy" she could not help but chuckle, holding a hoof over her mouth as Gideon looked down himself.  
"Ah, shoot" he muttered, realising he had forgotten to change. "I'll just be a minute" he assured her, before darting past her and up the narrow staircase in the alley leading up to his small apartment on the second floor.

Mary stepped into the narrow hallway running along the back of the bakery. To her right the door leading into the kitchen was open and she could hear something puttering away on the stove, a rich aroma seeping into the hallway. Right in front of her was a door she assumed had to be a storage room, and to her left a thin curtain separating the hallway from the bakery. Pulling the curtain aside, she stepped over the black and white checkered tiles into the bakery, her eyes widening as she looked around.

She barely recognised the room.  
The blinds where down on all the windows and the door, making it impossible to peek in from outside. The lights where dimmed, and there was a candle lit on every table in the bakery, including a row of small lanterns along the counter and on top of the glass display counter, bathing everything in a soft warm light.  
In the middle of the room stood a round table, the only one with a tablecloth. It was beautifully set for two with a bottle of wine already opened to breathe.  
Mary stood for a while just taking it all in, moved by the fact that this was just for her and nobody else.  
Walking over to the set table she ran her hoof over the white tablecloth, imagining Gideon so focused on getting everything ready that he forgot to change.

"Is it too much?"  
She turned around, finding Gideon standing in the kitchen door behind the counter, nervously waiting for her judgement. He had changed into a clean blue and white checkered cotton shirt, neatly tucked into his dark- washed jeans.

"No, no it's perfect Gideon" Mary smiled widely, her eyes flickering with the candles as she looked around the room. "Absolutely perfect"

Gideon breathed out a relieved sigh before disappearing into the kitchen, coming back with a dark red cast iron pot. Whatever was in it smelled delicious and heartening, reminding Mary that she had not eaten since lunch.

Gideon skilfully readied two plates, setting the pot aside on another table before pouring the whine.  
"Now be honest" he said nervously as he sat down opposite her. "I ain't no cook, and you don't have to eat it if you don't like it, just to be polite"  
Mary smiled reassuringly as she twisted the spaghetti around her fork, holding it in place with her spoon. She was not sure where she had picked that up, but she was glad she had. It made eating spaghetti less messy, and she was very self-conscious about that right now as Gideon watched her intently to gauge her reaction.  
He had not needed to worry as Mary let out a spontaneous _mhmm_ after closing her mouth around the fork.  
 _  
_"It's delicious, really Gideon, it is" she assured him as he held his eyes on her face to make sure she was not feigning the praise. Only when he was convinced did he start on his own plate.

The conversation started out platonic; Mary talked about school and tests, the twins and other teachers. Gideon shared his plans for the winter season, the cookies he had planned to add to the Christmas menu, and the improvements he wanted to make on his pumpkin pie. They had emptied their plates and almost gone through their second glass of wine, when Mary spoke again.

"Gideon, can ask you something?" Gideon nodded, careful to dry of his mouth with the napkin as he chewed his last mouthful.  
"Why did you drop out of high school?" Mary asked, twirling the remaining of her wine around in her glass. Gideon laid the napkin back on the table, apprehensively rubbing the back of his neck.  
"That's a big 'ol can of worms, you sure wanna hear all that?"  
"Yea" she nodded, putting her elbows on the table as she leaned closer to him. Gideon sighed, taking a big gulp of wine.

"It's not just one reason I guess. Like for one I never had a head for school, and feelin' stupid all the time didn't help on my temper" he sent her an apologetic glance before continuing.  
"And the others weren't as scared of me as they used to, so I had to do worse every time. It got real bad. Detention didn't work on me, I got suspended once, then twice" he crossed one arm over his chest, resting it in the crook of his elbow as he kept the wineglass by his snout.

Mary thought back to the first year of high school, trying to remember anything about Gideon from back then. She remembered avoiding him in the hallways, as everyone did, maybe a few stark remarks in class if he showed up, which was not often, and others talking about him fighting a lot…  
"I think I remember you always having a bruise or more"  
"Yea" he scoffed. "Got just as many as I gave out I recon, more if you count them from my Pa" Gideon did not seem bitter to her, only melancholy and regretful as he averted his eyes, keeping them on his empty plate.

"Anyway, Travis wasn't having any more of it. I came back after my third suspension, and he had new friends. We had a real fight 'bout it, almost wrecked a classroom. I didn't see the point of going back after that, so I didn't, and everyone was happy" Gideon emptied what was left in his glass, running his fingers along the stem as he put it down on the table.

Seeing him sitting slumped over his empty glass, lost in thought, filled Mary with pity. She could not remember anyone who had missed him after he dropped out.  
"I'm sorry" she said, her eyes sincerely on his. Gideon barked out a laugh.  
"Don't be, no ones fault but my own" he wanted to pour himself another glass, but decided against it.

Mary reached over the table, taking his paw in her hoof, giving it a warm squeeze. Gideon absentmindedly started making circles in her palm with his thumb as he spoke.

"Was home for a couple of weeks. Pa figured I should begin taking over the farm. _Don't need no diploma for that-_ he said. I didn't want to, never liked farming much, but at the time I didn't know what I wanted, so I went with it for a while"  
Gideon started running the tip of his finger over her three-cloven hoof, slowly going from tip to bottom on each one.  
"Money's always been tight at home, so getting a job on the side seemed like the right thing to do. Why Badgy hired a high school- dropout is still beyond me, but I'm grateful he did- turned my life around"  
"I bet he saw potential" Mary smiled warmly at him.  
"Maybe" Gideon went back to drawing circles in her palm. It was incredibly calming, paired with the slight buzz from the wine it made Mary completely at ease, her mind feeling a little sluggish.

"I think I got lucky mostly" Gideon continued thoughtfully. "Honestly, for a long while I just wanted to leave, but I'm glad I didn't" he sent her a meaningful glance, making her nose turn just a hint more pink.  
"Pa's never forgiven me though, for giving up on the farm"  
"Yea" Mary nodded in understanding. "I'm lucky Gareth wants to take over. I think I would have been miserable growing wheat and barley for the rest of my life"  
"But would your parents stop talking to you if you didn't?"  
"Didn't take over?" Mary chuckled. "They would probably not be able to stop talking to me about it. They can be quite persistent"  
There was a pungent silence as their eyes met, both understanding what had to be asked next.

"And if-if they found out about…"  
"Us?" Mary finished for him, making a tender warmth spread in his chest. He had been going to say _me._  
"I don't know" Mary said honestly. "Dad wouldn't like it, that's for sure" she muttered, emptying her wineglass.  
"Mom would probably say something silly in the lines of: _It's not natural_ , or something"

She reached her other hoof over to hold his paw in both hoofs, wanting him to know she did not believe the same. Gideon kept his eyes down, looking at her small dark hoofs in stark contrast to his rust-coloured paws.  
"And Gareth… He's become so much like dad" she sighed. "What about your parents?" she asked carefully. Gideon was still looking down at her hoofs, running the fingers of his free paw over them.

"Won't know the difference with Pa" he huffed. "He never liked me much anyway. Ma on the other hand…" he fell silent as he remembered how happy she had sounded earlier, finding out he had a date. He wanted to believe that she would not care what species Mary was.  
Searching his mind, he tried to remember if his mother had ever said anything negative about prey. His father he could think of plenty of times, but not his mother. Though he could not be completely sure, he could not imagine his mother as anything else than mild and loving.

"I think she'd like you" he finally concluded.  
"So that's one on the maybe-list" Mary smiled humourlessly. "That just leaves everyone else"  
"Well, there's always Travis" Gideon shrugged, making Mary burst out laughing.  
"Yea, there's Travis" she managed between laughs.

Gideon loved the way her eyes lit up when she laughed, his own eyes almost half shut as he studied her, slightly sedated by the wine.  
"What?" she asked, the laugh still in her voice as she caught him staring at her.  
"Nothin'" he said with a small smirk, leaning back in his chair. "You want dessert? You can have anything you feel like" he gestured to the bakery kitchen behind him, giving her the pick of the whole menu.  
"Have any apple and pecan pie?" Mary ventured, making a knowing smile spread across his face.

With that, well a week overdue, Mary could sit down for pie with Gideon.

Time is a funny thing. An hour at the dentist or at work can seem like the longest time. While an hour with someone special can seem like no time at all.

While sharing what was left of the wine, they talked about everything and nothing, all the small things that had happened in their lives since high school, everyday routines that suddenly seemed important to share with the other.  
Mary could see the clock on the wall over Gideon's shoulder slowly creeping towards midnight, but she did not want to leave, and he showed no indication of being tired, so she tried to keep her sleepy eyes awake and suppress her yawns. Eventually though, one escaped, making Gideon turn in his chair to glance at the time.

"At's the time already? You should've said" he raised one eyebrow at her; the same expression that had once been mocking was now benign. A quirk that was part of what made him who he was.  
"I-I don't want to go" she admitted with an apologetic smile. "It's nice talking to you without worrying about someone seeing or hearing it"  
"Yea, we'll have to be careful 'bout that"

Yesterday behind his pie booth had seemed careful at the time, but he realised now it had probably been more risky than their faithful kiss in the alley. Anywhere even remotely public was a bad idea, but it had been so very sweet. His mouth went dry as he remembered her body pressing up against him on the apple-crate.

"Can I meet you here?" he had not offered, but Mary decided to be bold and ask anyway. "After closing up?"  
"Yea, that'll work" Gideon swallowed, trying not to think too much about being alone with her on a regular basis. The wine still making his mind imagine the kiss behind his pie booth going further than just his paw on her knee.  
"Elliot usually gets off around seven, we'd have a few hours"  
"Maybe not every day? That would be suspicious, if someone saw me…"  
"At's prolly best, yea"

The precautions they were discussing suddenly seemed so unfair; it was not something meant to be a subject on a first date. But he was no idiot, even though he sometimes felt he acted like one.  
Mary noticed his expression, recognising her own feelings mirrored on his face. In a way, it was a relief, knowing they felt the same, but also being able to read him so easily already.  
Wanting to show him that she understood, and frankly growing tired of the barrier the table was creating, Mary got up from her chair.  
Standing beside the seated fox, she almost reached his shoulder. Gideon sat up in surprise as Mary snuggled her face against his chest right under his left arm, her own arms reaching around his chest, not quite able to meet around his broad torso.  
Mary felt his snout bury into the wool on her head as his big paw came to her waist, returning the hug as he took a few deep breaths, tickling her scalp.

"This is so unfair" she muttered, her voice muffled by Gideon's shirt. He could feel how her breathing warmed his fur through the cotton.  
"Mmmhm" he nodded in agreement into her wool, hungrily absorbing every sensation. "But I'll take what I can get"

Mary pulled away a few inches to be able to tilt her head up to look at him. His bangs were falling into his light blue eyes, making her want to reach up and brush them out of the way. Gideon beat her to it, instead cupping her cheek, running his thumb over the dark and incredibly fine hairs covering her face.  
Mary let her eyes glide shut, her lips parting slightly as she prepared for the kiss she knew was coming. Gideon's clawed fingers instantaneously buried into the wool on the back of her head, urging her to stand on the tips of her hoofs as his mouth came down hot on hers.

Their previous kisses had always started out soft and testing, this time their tongues met right from the start.  
A sound between a moan and a sigh escape from Mary as she used her grip on the back of his shirt to pull herself closer.  
She could feel the muscles in his back and arms tighten and loosen as if he was considering pulling her up into his lap.  
She was about to make that decision for him when he unexpectedly begun slowing down the kiss, his lips gradually coming to a stop before carefully pulling away, still keeping his arms around her. His expression was soft as he looked down on her again, though his pupils were dilated to the point that they very nearly cancelled out the blue in his eyes.

Mary felt a hot rush through her veins, and she could not help but let out shaky breath as his paw slipped back to her cheek, this time running his thumb over her lips.  
"It's past midnight…" he begun, his voice a little unsteady.  
"I-I should be going home" she agreed, though neither of them moved.

There was a moment were the pull between them seemed to become stronger, as if giving a final tug, almost bringing them helplessly clashing together again. Somehow, they managed to resist it. Gideon instead stood up, smiling softly he offered her his arm as if they were taking a stroll down the street.  
The unexpected gesture made Mary chuckle nervously, but she accepted, doing a small silly curtsy before slipping her hoof into the nook of his arm. They walked arm in arm through the bakery and out to the dark alley, coming to a halt just short of turning the corner and becoming visible from the street.

"I guess this is good night then" Mary said, unwilling to let go of his arm.  
"Yea" Gideon breathed, just as reluctant to let go. "Until tomorrow?"  
Mary nodded, smiling as she bit down on her lower lip, glancing up at him through her lashes. The sight made whatever pull he had managed to resist inside come back with full force.  
"Oh, darn it" Gideon whispered as he captured her lips again, coming down on one knee as he pulled her into a warm embrace. This time he lingered on her lips, trying to memorise how she moulded against him, feeling her smile against his lips as he let his paw press on the small of her back, bringing her even closer.

The autumn night was quite cold, though it did not seem to bother them much as they held the kiss until Gideon's knee started to hurt from supporting his weight on the uneven asphalt. Pulling away, Mary looked up at him with bright but sleepy eyes, her lips slightly swollen from the recent activity.

"You should go home" he said silently, though not one single part of him wanted her to leave. Mary nodded in agreement, her hooves stroking the lengths of his shirtsleeves as he rose.  
"I'll see you tomorrow?"  
"I'll see you tomorrow" he repeated back to her, keeping himself from pulling her into another embrace as she smiled that sweet smile of hers up at him again.

Gideon waited in the alley until he could no longer hear the light tapping of her hoofs against the pavement. Walking back inside, he knew he would probably not get much sleep tonight, as he had to erase any evidence of the date having taken place. However he did not mind, if every other evening in the following weeks were going to be like this one, he did not mind if he never slept again.


	10. No trouble

_Ok people, chapter 10! *fanfares in the background*  
In celebration: Please tell me what you think so far in the comments. Like it? Love it? Hate it? Meh? and why. It would make my day. Enjoy your dose of fluff!_

* * *

 **Chapter 10: No trouble**

Gideon had taken to closing the blinds of the bakery every evening now, explaining to Elliot that it was easier to signal to customers that they were closed that way.  
The real reason of course was to conceal the fact that even after closing, the bakery had a regular visitor.

Gideon had seen teens sitting like this in the window seats before. It annoyed him, and he always told them to take their dirty feet off the cushions. Now however, with Mary leaning comfortably against his torso, carefully blowing on her hot tea, he would never be annoyed again.  
She fit perfectly against him as she sat between his legs, her own knees pulled up in front of her. Gideon leaned one knee against the closed blinds, his bushy tail lazily moving back and forth below them, brushing against the tiles on the floor.  
He had one arm around her middle, securing her against him while he used his free paw to play with the dark brown curls on her head. He gently pulled on one curl until it was straight, and twice the length he noted, before letting go, watching it curl back with a bounce.  
Mary was smiling to herself as she sipped her tea, allowing the fascinated fox to play with her wool.  
Lowering his head, Gideon rubbed his snout against her neck, inhaling deeply, not finding a single hint of stress or fear in her scent. She seemed completely content and happy in his arms. This brought him a newfound type of joy, slow and warm, like a sunrise.

"That tickles" Mary giggled lightly as she crunched her shoulders to protect her neck from his probing nose. Gideon playfully blew a final puff of air through her wool, before leaning back against the pillows he had stacked up behind him.  
Mary tipped her head back, looking up at the underside of his chin above her.

"Gideon?"  
"Mmm?"  
"What do I smell like?"  
"Happiness" he mumbled.  
"No, I'm serious" she laughed, her eyes still on the light fur under his chin. "You draw my scent quite often"  
"Does it bother you?" Gideon asked, suddenly worried that this very predatory habit was not welcome.  
"Not at all" she assured him, reaching up to scratch the underside of his chin, making his tail pick up its pace. "But your sense of smell is so much better than mine; I'm curious"  
"Alright" Gideon chuckled, placing a kiss on her forehead.  
"It's almost like layers" he begun. "First, you smell like prey and sheep, so a little sweet and woolly"  
"Woolly?" she asked, a sceptical smile on her face.  
"I don't know what else ta call it. Wool just holds scent different 'an fur" he shrugged apologetically.  
"Then there's these added things that vary a bit, like the apple detergent you use, green apple I think, and chalk and crayons" He buried his nose at the crook of her neck, taking another whiff.  
"Can't help the chalk and crayons" Mary giggled as his nose tickled her again. "An occupational hazard"  
"And then there's the flowery shampoo you use. I like that one" he mumbled into her wool. His lips moving against her neck was sending shivers down her spine.  
"And then there's you"  
"Me?" Mary could hear her voice starting to go a little shaky.  
"Yeah" he muttered into her wool. "At's the best part, cutting through the other layers, and just smell your scent: It's sweet n' rich, like cardamom, but there's somethin' earthy to it…"

Gideon was getting lost in what he was trying to describe. He was so concentrated on Mary that he noticed immediately as her heartbeat quickened, the increased blood flow making the sweetness in her scent go from subtle to dominating in a matter of seconds.

Mary had forgotten all about her tea; her eyes fluttering shut as she felt Gideon's heart beating faster against her shoulder blades. He was rubbing his nose along her neck as if in a trance, drawing long deep breaths.  
"So I smell nice?" she asked breathlessly.  
"Very nice" he drawled, his voice muffled in her wool.

Mary raised her hoof, running her digits through the thick fur on his cheek and up behind his ear, enjoying the feel of him.  
Gideon knew all he needed to do was to lift his head just a little to get the kiss he wanted, but by how sweet Mary smelled right now he doubted that he would be able to stop at that. So he willed his paws not to wander, and instead stayed completely still as he enjoyed the sensation of Mary running her hooves through his fur and along his scalp.

"What 'bout me?" he finally whispered by her ear. "What do I smell like to you?"  
"Pastry, mostly" Mary answered without missing a beat, her ear flicking as Gideon chuckled right into it. Returning the laugh, she let go of his fur, allowing him to sit back up.  
"And jam, and sometimes freshly baked bread"  
"Can't help it; occupational hazard" he replied playfully.

Remembering her tea, Mary took another sip of the now lukewarm liquid before setting the mug out of the way on the table beside them. With an uncharacteristically sly smile on her lips, she quickly got up on her knees and turned to face him on the cushions. She could feel his body go rigid as she leaned her hoofs against his chest, burying her face in the fur just below his jaw, drawing a couple of deep breaths of her own.  
"My nose is not as keen as yours, but…" she whispered, feeling his pulse racing against her lips. "Your pred, and a fox, so strong and musky"  
"Musky?" he croaked, his paws laying limp in his lap, still immobilised by her unexpected move.  
"Yea, musky, like cloves" Mary explained while she rubbed her cheek against his.

Bringing her hooves up, she racked them through the thick fur on his cheeks again, before pressing them against a spot just under his ears, holding his head in place as she laid a lingering kiss on his lips.

Gideon was lost, completely helpless in the hooves of this small black sheep. At that moment she could have done anything she wanted to him and he would not have been able, or willing, to resist her. Her lips moved softly against his, and he felt something deep and permanent taking a hold around his heart.  
When Mary came away from the kiss, opening her brilliant blue eyes to him, he nearly blurted it out. The confession almost drawn out of him by one unsteady exhale.

He loved her.

Mary did not quite understand the expression on Gideon's face. He seemed scared and happy at the same time, his lips parted as if to say something, but deciding against it at the last second.  
"What-" she begun, but was promptly cut off by Gideon pulling her down for another kiss.

He drew her down with him, until he lay flat on his back in the cushioned window seat with Mary on top of him. She was so light; he could comfortably breathe with her relaxing all her weight on his belly and chest.

Mary sighed contently, her hoofs holding on to his shirt as she nuzzled her nose against the fur just above his shirt collar. Gideon circled both his arms around her, holding her tight, while his tail came up to gently rest across the back of her legs.  
"I could sleep here" she mumbled against his shirt.  
"I ain't going nowhere" Gideon replied softly, smiling into her wool as her breathing became slow and steady.

* * *

Benjamin was slurping his cereal, the puffed honey flavoured flakes floating around in the soymilk as he dipped his spoon in, engrossed in some puzzle on the back of the cereal box.

Eva stood by the sink in their tiny kitchen in the small rented cottage. She almost had to hunch down to not brush the tips of her ears against the ceiling when she walked. It was clearly built for smaller mammals; maybe pigs or perhaps goats judging by the population of Bunnyburrow, but she had been relieved to find anything above rabbit size.  
It did not matter much to her anyway, and the low ceilings and smaller furniture did not bother Benjamin, still just a cub as he was. Barely ten years old.  
She swallowed the lump in her throat with the last of her coffee, setting the mug down in the sink.

"Alright Ben, time for school"  
It warmed her heart that this sentence no longer seemed to draw the light out of him, he did not seem to mind going, sometime he even looked forward to it. She guessed she had the tiny energetic bunny in his class to thank for that. Lately he also spoke of other kids; Sally this and Kevin that. Together with the birthday invitation hanging proudly on their fridge, it proved to her that her boy was fitting in. He was adapting and finding his place in their new home, and he was almost back to being the happy cub he had been before.

"Yes mama" he drank the last of the cereal right from the bowl, swiftly pulling on his backpack hanging over the kitchen chair. His mother slipped on her coat over the light blue scrubs she was wearing, checking the pockets for her keys and phone. As if her paw touching it was some kind of signal, her phone's generic ringtone filled the tiny kitchen.

Eva fished out her phone, a worried wrinkle between her brows as she glanced at the unknown number on the display.  
"Hello?"  
"Good morning Eeeeva" Benjamin strained his ears to pick up the crackling voice at the other end of the line.  
"W-what do you want?" Eva asked in a harsh whisper, turning her back on Benjamin so he would not see the look of fear on her face.  
"Aren't I allowed to ask how my nephew's doing?"

A whimper from behind her made Eva realise that Benjamin could hear both sides of the conversation. His hearing was developing so fast, he grew up more every day. Trying her best to give her son a reassuring look she walked out into the hallway, closing the door between them.  
Benjamin quickly followed, pressing his ear to the crack between the door and the doorframe; he could still her his mother's voice.

"Rex, we had a deal" she pleaded. "We have been out of your fur, I-I have spoken to no one-" she was cut off, before her voice came back as a sharp whisper.  
"I will _not_ let you drag him into that life, I…"  
"He is _my_ son Rex"

Benjamin waited until he heard the tell tail beep of his mother hanging up before opening the door to the hallway. His mother was sitting on the terracotta coloured floor-tiles that ran through the cottage, her face hidden in her paws as her shoulders shook.

"Mama?"

Eva held out her arms, beckoning her son to come to her. He crawled into her lap, letting her hold him to her, smoothing her cheek over the fur on top of his head.

"Mama, was that-"  
"Sssh" she soothed. "I will never let anything happen to you, do you hear me?" she continued running her cheek and nose over his fur, calming him as much as herself.  
"Never" she promised, holding him even tighter.

* * *

Mary was humming as she poured herself some coffee from the coffeemaker in the teachers break room. The autumn day was grey and overcast, but the weather was in no way enough to put a damper on her mood.  
She had slept for almost an entire hour in the window seat with Gideon yesterday, only to wake by him carefully running the back of his knuckles over her cheek, mumbling softly to her that it was almost nine.

They had intended to alternate days and meet at different times to make it harder for others to notice, but that plan had fallen flat almost right of the bat. They had met every day after seven for the past week and a half.

She stirred her coffee with her spoon, mixing the white soymilk with the black, making it turn a rich brown. Gideon took his coffee black, two sugars. She smiled at this little piece of information; something she knew that few others did.

"If only I could find someone who looked at me like you look at your coffee" Graham sighed melodramatically as he poured himself his own cup beside her. "But alas" the middle-aged bunny put his paw on his forehead in his best theatrical fashion "No bonnie bunnies will cast one glance in my direction"  
Mary laughed, but it sounded more nervous than she wanted it to. She was swift to bury her face in her coffee mug, hiding her blushing nose.  
"Oh, don't be overdramatic" Claudia cut in, only rolling her eyes enough for Mary to notice.  
"I'm a single bunny in Bunnyburrow my dear, I am allowed to be overdramatic" Graham took a deliberate sip of his coffee before padding over to join the other teachers on the miss-matched sofas and chairs around the coffee table.

"Mary, can I ask you a favour?" Claudia asked as Mary made to follow after Graham.  
"Sure" she smiled at her senior colleague, her nose thankfully back to its normal shade of pink.  
"Do you mind switching gate duty with me tomorrow? Kelly has a dentist appointment, and Oscar isn't able to take her"

Gate duty was shared equally between the teachers in Bunnyburrow Elementary. Every morning and every afternoon one teacher would stand by the gate and another in the schoolyard to make sure students were delivered and picked up safely. In the quiet Tri-Burrows that usually just meant keeping the kids away from any traffic until their buss or parent arrived, but it was a precautionary measure all schools in the country were required to have.

"Of course, no problem" Mary nodded. "You can take mine next Monday"  
"Thank you, you're a real lifesaver" she smiled, taking a sip of her own coffee. "Oh, and another thing; Benjamin Wolfskinsky, noticed anything lately?"  
"No, he has seemed to adjust nicely" Mary looked up at the cheetah, a little puzzled. After Ellie broke the initial ice front, she had seen the young cub get along well with the other kids. "Why?"  
"He's just seemed a little distant today" Claudia said, rubbing her chin. "You have him in class next period, just tell me if you notice anything?"  
"I will" she assured her, hoping all the progress he had made lately was not in vain.

Maybe it was because Claudia had made her aware of it, but Benjamin did seem like he had trouble concentrating. His mind seemed to be elsewhere, his eyes distant as he looked down on his math problems, not making any effort to solve them. Neither did he pay attention when she went through the solutions to the problems on the blackboard, but Mary was not the kind of teacher that would call pupils out for not paying attention in front of the entire class. Everyone could have a bad day, but if he still seemed troubled tomorrow, she decided she would take him aside.

* * *

Elliot had not even been gone five minutes before Gideon heard the soft knock on the back door that he had come to associate with Mary. Quickly putting the empty flour sack in the pile with the other empty sacks in the storage room he went to unlock the door, still wearing his apron.  
Mary was standing on top of the stairs, wearing her casual jeans and a light pink knitted sweater. Gideon shot a quick glance around the alley before bending down, a big smile matching hers on his lips as he circled his arms around her small waist.

Mary let out a muffled giggle as he lifted her inside and closed the door behind them in one smooth motion. Gideon had found it was much more comfortable for both of them if he lifted her up when they kissed, and he had had enough opportunities to perfect his technique over the past week.  
She melted against him, her arms around his neck as he leaned his back against the wall opposite the door, holding one arm just under her rear, the other around her waist.

"Evenin' Lovely" he greeted softly, touching his nose against hers as he broke from the kiss.  
"Good evening" she replied, drawing small circles with her nose against his.

Mary was in no rush to get down, and Gideon did not mind holding her where she was. There was something inexplicably calming about being lifted up and held in his arms like this. She felt safe, and every ounce of stress or worry that may have piled up during the day melted away.

"How's your day been?" she asked, pulling her head back a little more to get a better look at his face. He had his usual calm smile on his lips, his bangs a little tussled after the long day.  
"The usual; made some pie, sold some pie, ate some pie" he smiled, looking at her with affectionate eyes as she ran her hoof through his bangs, evening them out.

"Saved some for me?"  
"What kinda question's at?" he chuckled while raising one eyebrow at her. "I'm startn' ta think you only come here for the free pie"  
"It's a perk" Mary admitted with a playful smile, before closing the distance between their lips again.

Gideon let out a content sight as he leaned the back of his head against the wall, allowing Mary to steer the kiss. This was all he needed, however tiring his day had been, the sweet sensation of her lips moving against his made the weariness wash away. To his slight annoyance, she broke the kiss sooner than he had expected.

"Do you hear that?"  
"What?" Gideon opened his eyes lazily to see Mary, eyes wide, tilting her head with her ears angled in two different directions. He was struck by how alert she looked, and very prey-like.

Then he heard it; the sputter of a familiar engine of a smaller vehicle, one he had heard a number of times before, as it pulled up in the alley. They both froze, unable to move as they listened intently to the engine coming to a stop and a car door opening and shutting.

Mary tensed even more in his arms as there was a knock on the door, the jovial voice of Stu Hopps travelling into the hallway:  
"Gideon? You in there?" there was a pause where neither Gideon nor Mary dared to breathe.  
"It's Stu! I know you're closed, but I was in town and thought I'd drop by" one could clearly hear him being proud of himself for doing something impulsive for once.

Gideon watched in horror as the door handle started to turn; he had forgot to lock the door.

Turning to the closest hiding place he could think of, Gideon dove in through the open door to the small storage room. Landing roughly on top of Mary on the pile of empty burlap sacks inside, he almost managed to push the door closed behind them with his left foot before Stu opened the door into the hallway.  
There was still a small crack between the door and doorframe, letting in a thin strip of light in the otherwise dark room. Gideon did not dare to close it in case Stu noticed; bunnies had a sense of hearing that was unmatched by any species he knew of.

"Gideon?" Stu's voice could be heard as he walked past the storage room door and into the bakery.

Gideon was desperately searching his mind for any explanation the carrot farmer would believe as to why he was on top of Mary in a dark storage room. Unfortunately, there was only two believable explanations to why a fox would be on top of a sheep. Neither one what he wished Stu to assume.

Mary was holding on to his forearms, eyes wide trying to see in the dark room. The only light was the thin strip creeping in through the crack in the door from the hallway. It was enough for Gideon's eyes to pick up, though right now he had all his focus on his hearing, angling his ears to follow the sound of Stu walking around the bakery, questioningly calling his name.

As the soft patter of the carrot farmer's feet came back out of the kitchen, Gideon tensed, holding his breath, sensing Mary doing the same underneath him.  
Thankfully, Stu did not seem to think about checking the storage room. Gideon could hear him mutter something about keeping one's doors locked as he shut the back door behind him.  
They stayed completely still, Gideon waiting for the sound of the engine in the Hopps' small car to start again.

"Is he gone?" Mary finally whispered as silently as she could.  
"Yea" Gideon angled his ears to make sure. "He's gone"

Mary let out a sigh of relief, and promptly started laughing.  
"What's funny?"  
"You're a fox hiding from a bunny" she said teasingly, the relief of not being caught fuelling her laughter further.  
"Oh yea? Well you're a sheep trapped alone with a fox" he teased back, lowering himself towards her with a mock growl, his snout nuzzling her neck. The move earned him another exited giggle as Mary started to squirm under him.  
"That tickles!"

Gideon loved the new sensation of Mary moving beneath him. It made him feel wonderfully satisfied and hungry at the same time; he could not help but put a little more of his weight on her, though careful as not to crush her.

Mary felt a rush of heat as Gideon pushed her down onto the burlap sacks. She willingly pushed back against him, bringing her arms up around his neck to pull him further down, locking his lips in a passionate kiss.

His apron was the first thing to go, flung carelessly against the wall. Now that the path was cleared, Mary's small smooth hoofs moved down to his shirt-collar. Slowly, she carefully started to unbutton his shirt; one button, two buttons, three…

Gideon tugged impatiently at her sweater, finally untucking it from the front of her jeans, sliding one paw through the wool on her stomach, up to her chest. He groaned gently against her lips; she was so warm, so incredibly soft.

Mary let out a soft wanton moan, making his fur stand up as a ripple of need ran through him. Gideon felt himself on the edge of a cliff. One more move and he would fall over, unable to stop.  
With whatever self-control he had left, he pushed himself off her, sinking panting down on the floor.

Confused, Mary sat up and watched as Gideon reached for the light switch and turned on the light. It was a harsh white light from a naked lightbulb, making her eyes hurt after the time in the dark. As she saw him clearly, sitting on the floor in front of her, she suddenly felt ashamed. His shirt was completely unbuttoned, revealing that the light fur around his mouth and chin ran all the way down his chest and stomach.  
Maybe she had assumed too much.

"Look" she managed, voice shaking with embarrassment as she straightened out her sweater. "If you don't want to…" she stopped as Gideon cupped her cheek with his paw.  
"No, I want to" he said softly.  
"I want you so much it actually hurts, but not like this. Not in some dark n' dusty storage room, like I'm doing somethin' wrong" he was looking into her eyes intently, his voice low and sincere as he spoke.  
"I wanna put my arm 'round you, I wanna kiss you, whenever I want, no matter who's lookin'" Mary felt her breathing hitch in her throat as he grasped her hoofs in his paws.  
"I wanna tell everyone: My girlfriend's a teacher at Bunnyburrow Elementary, her name's Mary, and I love her very much"  
Mary covered her mouth, tears threatening to stream down her face as she watched Gideon kneeling on the cold floor in front of her.

He had not meant to tell her that yet, thinking it was too soon, but there it was: He loved her. As simple and as complicated as that feeling could be.

"Gideon" she said softly, her eyes shimmering with tears that was just a blink away from running down her cheeks.  
"I love you too"

Gideon let out a sound between a groan and a sigh as he pulled her into his lap, burying his face against her shoulder while holding her firmly against him. Mary closed her eyes, circling her arms around him under his open shirt, enjoying the feeling of his soft fur against her cheek. She drew deep calming breaths of his familiar scent, though it was a little stronger than usual.

He did not want to move, he just wanted to hold her for the rest of the night if possible, but his knees were starting to hurt, and the naked light in the storage room was becoming uncomfortable on his eyes.

"You-" he cleared his throat "You want some tea?"  
Mary laughed softly against his chest, before reaching up and placing a quick kiss on his nose.  
"I'd love some tea"

* * *

They sat facing each other in what was becoming their regular spot on the window seat nearest the counter, a plate with cookies sitting between two steaming cups of tea on the table beside them.

Mary was looking out the window through a small crack between the blinds, deep in thought as she watched the rain run down the window: They had not mentioned rain on today's weather forecast.

"Gideon…" Mary turned away from the window to look at the fox in front of her. "You want to…To not keep this a secret anymore?"  
"I think I never wanted ta keep it a secret" he answered, taking a sip from his tea. "I just, figured we had to"  
"Yea" Mary nodded. "Maybe if we lived in Zootopia, or in another larger city…"  
"You wanna move?" He had meant it as a joke, but Mary just sent him a sad smile.  
"No" she reached for her own tea. "And I've been thinking; I can't think of many interspecies couples" she sighed. "I knew a liger in college, her parents where obviously mixed, but still similar you know? And she still got enough uncomfortable comments about it"  
"Yeah, figures" Gideon sent Travis' unfortunate aunt another sympathetic thought.  
"Of course, I've heard of couples that are-" she did a gesture with her hoof between them  
"Prey and pred?" he finished for her.  
"Yea" she nodded. "Read about them online, but never met or seen anyone myself"  
"Me neither" Gideon admitted. "Tough I've never been outside the Burrows myself, so not that it matters much" he sent her a careful smile.

"I worry for you, for what'd happen to you" Mary said in a hushed tone. "I still think about what Travis said; that they would beat you to a pulp"  
"Nah" Gideon bit into a cookie. "They'd just yell at me, prolly smash my windows again, throw stuff at my van"  
"That's still pretty bad" Mary muttered, imagining the bakery going bankrupt as more and more mammals boycotted him for being with her.  
"I don't want to get you into trouble"  
"No trouble" he assured her, his eyes lovingly on hers. "For you, it'd be no trouble"

Mary nearly began crying again. She quickly moved to curl up against his chest, feeling his arms close around her again.

"What 'bout you?" he whispered carefully into her wool. "Won't I cause you trouble, with work n' what not?"  
"The school can't fire me for who I date" Mary made small circles on his shirt, now fully buttoned again. "Though I guess a lot of parents would want them to"

She tried to imagine what it would be like; going to work every morning if everyone knew. Maybe the other teachers would just avoid her, or be rude, Marnie would probably be worst of them all.  
The pupils would mirror whatever their parents thought, and even though so many of them seemed like descent mammals when she met them, she could never know for sure. She remembered the suspicious glances when Gideon had helped her home with her groceries, almost a month ago now.

Taking her silence as reluctance, Gideon continued his whisper into her wool.  
"We don't have to. We can keep it like this" he knew he was asking too much, and the last thing he wanted was to see her unhappy.

"Maybe for now" Mary answered hesitantly, still deep in thought. "But we could tell just a few? Travis already knows, maybe tell our parents?"  
"Yea" Gideon ran his fingers lazily over the edges of her ear, smiling when he made them involuntarily twitch and flick. "I still think Ma 'd like you"  
"Can't promise the same" Mary sighed, imagining the shock that would play across her mother's face when she introduced a fox as her boyfriend, followed by the inevitable yelling.

Getting up on her knees in front of him, she cupped his large head in her hoofs, placing a long kiss on his lips, which he eagerly answered. She felt his paws come to rest on her hips, the sound of the rain against the window becoming muffled as Gideon occupied all her senses, filling her with a warm calm.  
"Gideon" she breathed intently. "You're worth the trouble, don't you believe anything else"

Gideon brought one paw to the back of her head, pressing her forehead against his, eyes closed as he whispered:  
"Thank you"

Their tea had long since gone cold when he loosened his embrace on her, allowing her to sit down on the cushions in front of him. The wind had joined the rain outside, filling the narrow streets with a high-pitched howling, not unlike a pack of wolfs on a moonlit night.

"Did you bring a jacket?" Gideon asked, already knowing the answer.  
"No" Mary answered silently, meeting his eyes, her pulse quickening as she knew what the next question would be.  
"Stay?"

* * *

Mary stood just inside the door of Gideon's small apartment above the bakery. She ran a nervous hoof through the wool on her head; it did not seem too bad even though they had to run through the rain and wind up the stairs.

Gideon was turning on the light in the kitchen, or more correctly the kitchen nook. His entire apartment was one room, the kitchen tucked in the right corner by the door, a breakfast bar serving as a separation between the kitchen area and the rest of the room. The bed was the largest piece of furniture, taking up most of the floor. Above it was the apartment's only window, long and narrow, framed by a pair of beige curtains Mary suspected were just as old as the building itself.  
Beyond the bed was a wooden wardrobe and a door she assumed had to lead to the bathroom.

"It isn't much…" Gideon began.  
"It's not much smaller than mine" Mary assured him, hanging her purse on the coat stand by the door.

There was an awkward silence as Gideon stood fiddling with his fingers by the kitchen counter while Mary held her eyes on the worn linoleum floor.

"The bathroom's through there" Gideon nodded to the door at the other end of the room. "If you wanna…"  
"Right…" Mary was about to make her way, when she realised something that made her blush. "I-I don't have anything to sleep in"  
"Oh" Gideon swallowed, hesitating a moment before walking over to his wardrobe, pulling out a white and green-striped baseball shirt.  
"Thank you" Mary muttered, holding it to her chest as she ducked into the bathroom, closing the door between them.

After a couple of steadying breaths, Gideon started to unbutton his own shirt with shaky paws. Standing in front of his bed in nothing but his boxers, he quickly changed his mind and pulled on a white t-shirt, sitting down on the bed just in time for Mary to come back out.

She had loosened her wool from her usual bun, allowing it to bounce freely on her head. His baseball shirt almost reached her knees, and even though she had buttoned it all the way up, it was still loose enough to reveal more of her chest than he had seen before. Gideon's mouth went dry as she walked over to him, her eyes never wavering from his.

If he lifted her up, or if she climbed into his lap he was not sure, neither did he care. Mary was straddling his hips, running her hoofs through the fur on the back of his neck has he slipped his tongue into her mouth, groaning as it met hers.  
His paws easily slipped under the too large baseball shirt, running over her thighs and hips, coming up around her waist. The soft noises Mary was making as he carefully raked his claws through her wool and over her skin drove him mad. A tension building so high it threatened to burst as she started slipping her own hoofs under his t-shirt.

Securing her against him with one arm around her waist, he lifted her up, carefully laying her down with her head on his pillow. He supported himself above her on his forearms, never breaking the kiss, shuddering as Mary's tongue curiously touched the sharp edges of his canines. Her scent was growing incredibly sweet, drawing him in and capturing him.

Mary broke the kiss, taking a moment to look up at Gideon hovering above her. He was breathing heavily, near a pant, his eyes hooded and lips parted. Leaning down again, he placed another kiss on her lips before he started trailing kisses along her jawline and down her neck. Mary moaned softly, running her hoofs over his back and shoulders. The trail of kisses came to a stop at the top button on the baseball shirt, Gideon fingers rested hesitantly against the button, feeling Mary's chest rising and falling with rapid shallow breaths.

Understanding the unspoken question, Mary moved one of her hooves under his chin, steering him back up to her, placing a gentle kiss in his lip.  
"That's enough for now"  
"For now" he agreed breathlessly, smiling against her lips.

Rolling off her, Gideon lay on his side, holding up the duvet for her to lie next to him. Straightening her baseball shirt, which had travelled up around her waist, she snuggled against him. Resting her head on his arm, she buried her face in his t-shirt, allowing his warmth and scent to envelop her completely.  
Holding his free arm around his waist, Gideon pulled her flush against him, his tail coming up to rest around her legs. He lay completely still as he felt her breathing even out against his chest, burying his nose in the wool on her head, drawing her scent deep down into his lungs.

He wanted more. He wanted everything with her, but for now, this was enough. For now, this was perfect.


	11. Trouble

_Long overdue: here is the new chapter. Enjoy! =D_

* * *

 **Chap 11: Trouble**

Like all bakers, Gideon had learned to become an early riser. If customers were to get fresh-out-of-the-oven goods, he needed to bake it in the morning, before he opened at seven thirty. Just in time for people on their way to work to step in for a fresh brew and a morning scone. The alarm set for five o clock was more symbolic now, the later years his inner clock had adjusted to the rhythm, and he was already awake when it went off, paw hovering, ready to silence it before it woke the wonderful addition to his bed.

He had woken with a warm weight on his chest; the first thing in his line of vision when he opened his eyes had been a dark ruffle of wool. They had shifted positions during the night; he was on his back, one arm above his head, his other around Mary as she lay against his side with her head on his chest.

Her features were soft with sleep as she breathed deep calm breaths across his t-shirt. Her nose would sometimes twitch in her sleep, as if she was on the verge of waking, but she never did. In his mind, he remembered the time she had fallen asleep in his van, wet with rain and wrapped in his blanket. That sight had touched something deep inside him; that she had trusted him enough to fall asleep alone with him.

After the confrontation with Travis, Gideon had dutifully stored away every memory, every moment including Mary somewhere deep and safe in his brain. Certain that he would not experience any of it again, but here she was now: Asleep in his bed as if it was the most natural occurrence in the world. He had even lost track of their kisses over the past month; they all blurred together in his mind, forming one sweet intangible memory of Mary in his arms.  
Glancing at his bedside clock, he found he was already ten minutes behind his usual morning routine.  
Gideon carefully shifted between the sheets, trying to maneuver out of the bed without waking the sleeping ewe. She mumbled something inaudible as she rolled onto her side, finding his pillow as a replacement for his chest.

"Sorry Darlin'" it felt wonderful to able to call her that, even if just in a low whisper at the crack of dawn. He quickly placed a kiss on her cheek before finding his pants and shirt draped over their usual chair.

Stepping out on the external staircase, he was careful not to rattle his keys as he locked the door behind him. If it was one thing he would never be again, it was careless with locking his doors.

The two big ovens slowly heated up, the dull orange light from their heat resistant bulbs shining over the worn but clean floor in the bakery's kitchen.  
Getting out the bowl for his largest mixer, Gideon got started on the dough for his scones. They had become a breakfast staple, and he was quite proud to say that he had several regulars that started their morning with this his scones and a coffee. The ingredients were going in the bowl by memory, the recipe perfected by years of practice.

Looking up through the window over his workbench, he gave a friendly wave to the young bunny doing the early morning paper rounds. He did not know the boy's name, but he had been passing Gideon's window every morning for nearly a year now, taking over after one of Judy's younger brothers. It would rude not to acknowledge his presence; it was very likely they were the only two mammals in town at work at this hour.

As the bunny waved back with a rolled up newspaper in his paw, Gideon wondered if he could tell something was different. If he could see in his face that he had a secret sleeping upstairs, and what he would say if he knew.  
Doubt was ever present in Gideon's mind, forming deep furrows in his forehead as he watched the paper-bunny turn the corner.  
There were no laws, had not been since his parents had been kits themselves, but that did not mean the prejudice was gone. True, the school could not fire Mary for dating a fox, but it would not surprise him if other valid reasons would magically appear if the school found out. Alongside the damming argument of setting a bad example for the children, no doubt.

"What crazy world am I livin' in…" he mumbled as he measured out the sugar for his scones.

He should not be asking this of her, it was too much. He had said it himself: He would take what he could get, and this was more than he deserved, really.  
Disheartened, he rubbed the back of his paw over the furrows in his forehead, allowing some flour to stain his fur in the process. He could not help but feel that this was wrong somehow, sneaking about, hiding as if they were committing some offence.

He could handle broken windows and he could handle harsh words, heck; if it came to it, he could even take a punch or two. It was just that he could not shake the feeling that he should not have to.

* * *

It was going to be a good day for a ride, no doubt about it. The skies were pale and grey; the light clouds bore no threat of rain, and shielded his sensitive eyes from the glaring sun. Fastening his helmet under his chin, Rex kicked his motorcycle to life, the thundering sound of the engine echoing between the brick buildings of down town Tundratown. Behind him, two other engines roared to life.  
It was going to be a good day indeed.

* * *

The morning was creeping towards six thirty when Gideon made his way back up the stairs to his apartment. He slowly opened his apartment door, careful as not to wake Mary. Walking as softly as he could over the creaky linoleum covered floorboards, he headed towards the coffee maker, planning to get it brewing before Mary woke up.

A rustle from the bed interrupted his plan. Looking over, he wished he had his phone on him to take a picture, because the sight that greeted him was one he was sure he would want to remember for the rest of his life.

Mary was sleepily sitting up in the middle of his bed, her bushy wool bathed in the grey light of early morning. His too big baseball shirt draped around her, exposing her left shoulder to him as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with one hoof, leaning on the other.

"Good morning" she smiled, slightly bashful.  
"Mornin' Lovely" he replied softly, feeling a smile of his own spread across his face.

Abandoning the coffee maker, he made his way over to her, intent on placing a kiss on her adorable bushy head. As he sat down on the edge of his bed, the scent rolling of Mary hit him like a wave, making him freeze mid movement. He had not noticed it when he woke up, having slept in it most of the night most likely, but now, having been outside and cleared his senses, the scent was intense, drawing him to her.

"You should take a shower" he mumbled, too transfixed to notice Mary's surprised expression as he crawled up on the bed, helplessly drawn to her. He ran his nose over her exposed shoulder, making her shiver at the contact.  
"You smell like me" he explained while drinking her in. "Like your _mine_ " the hint of a growl in his voice as he spoke.

He must have done it in his sleep, because it had not been a conscious action. Still, there was no mistaking the strong territorial musk that marked her. To him it was intoxicating. To others it sent a clear message: Back off, she's mine.  
She might as well go to work wearing a sign that read: I just spent the night with Gideon Grey.

Mary's sleepy mind needed some time to process what Gideon was telling her, but when she understood she became wide-awake.  
"Oh…" she felt heat rise to her cheeks and nose, and as she watched Gideon hover above her, the heat spread through the rest of her body as well.  
His mouth was hanging open as if tasting the very the air around her. The row of sharp teeth peeking out under his lips made him look oh so perfectly predatory. His pupils were impossibly large, a thin circle of icy blue the only thing left of his irises.

"Oh, mercy" Gideon breathed and closed his eyes, clutching the sheets in his paws, almost tearing through the fabric with his claws. Mary's own sweet, sweet scent of arousal was cutting through and mixing with his mark on her. Gideon had never known that anything could smell this wonderfully tantalizing; it threatened to drive him mad.

Mary hesitantly reached her hoof up to his jaw, gently running the tips of her digits through his fur. She watched his face closely, observing every twitch of his nose as they sat in silence for several long minutes while Gideon tried to collect himself.

"S-sorry" he finally said as he brought one paw up to hold her hoof against the thick fur on his cheek. "You just woken up, n' a fox's crawlin' all over you already".  
He spoke with a soft smile, but it did not quite reach his eyes.  
"I happen to love this fox" Mary whispered, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "So there's no need to apologise" Gideon shot her a thankful smile, giving her palm a quick kiss.

"It's just-" Gideon drew the scent around them yet again. "I didn't mean to, I haven't even asked you" he gave her an apologetic look. "It's mighty old fashioned anyway, but it smells so _right_ on you" he added longingly.

He was gently pulling up the baseball shirt she was wearing while he spoke, covering up her shoulder again.  
Mary bit her lip as she smiled at his gesture, it never ceased to amaze her how considerate he was.

"Thank you, I guess" she glanced up at him with a smile, meeting his gaze. "But it may not be the best way to tell our parents we're dating"  
Gideon barked a short laugh, before his features fell back into seriousness again.  
"Mary, 'bout that. If you wanna wait-"  
"No" she assured him. "I think we should tell them, and if you think your mom's going to take it well… I'm just not ready to deal with everyone else knowing. Not yet"  
"Yea" Gideon nodded. "At's prolly a good idea"  
As if he finally remembered why he had come over to the bed in the first place, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead, stroking his paw over the busy curls on her head.

"But this conversation's to serious to have on an empty stomach" Gideon stated. "I'll get breakfast started"  
He made to get out of bed, but not before lingering just long enough to draw the scent of his own mark on her one last time.  
"Towels are under the sink" he added, before turning his attention to the previously abandoned coffee maker.

Only when he heard Mary running the shower did he turn around again. Abandoning his self-control, he dove face first into the bed, rolling around and rubbing his snout into the sheets like a cat with a bag of catnip. The mattress was still warm where Mary had been, and the scent was almost as strong as it had been on her.

Rolling over on his back, he ran his paws through his bangs, pulling hard at fistfuls of his own fur. He needed to calm down, he needed to think about something else, anything else than the enthralling scent that lingered in the sheets. His mind obliged, instead focusing his hearing on the water falling over Mary's body in the shower just a few steps away from him.

 _Get your head out of the gutter Gid!_

He groaned, rubbing his paws over his eyes. Resolutely and without hesitation, he got to his feet, opening the window over his bed and the front door. The chilly September draft slowly erased the scent, only leaving some faint traces between his sheets that were not too distracting. Gideon could instead concentrate on the pancake batter, while his mother's old skillet was heating up on his stovetop.

Mary leaned her head against the chilly tiles inside Gideon's shower as the hot water soaked her wool. She could feel her own pulse throbbing through her limbs, though it was slowly calming down. She smiled what she knew had to be a stupid looking smile down at the bathroom tiles.

The thought of Gideon marking her, intentionally or not, was exotic. Sheep did not do that. Sure, family members often smelled similar, a natural result of living close together. However, rams never marked their mates. That was territorial behaviour, a trait rarely seen in sheep or in prey at all. It was a trait far more common in predators, and foxes.

Mary resolutely turned the temperature on the shower down until the water gave her goose bumps.

Gideon did not have many products in his bathroom, apart from the basic scent neutraliser there was just one bottle of fur-shampoo, a tube of toothpaste and soap. The fur-shampoo would not be great for her wool, but it would not be too bad for just one day, though she wished he could have had some form of conditioner. Sometimes, she envied other mammals for their naturally soft fur. Without proper conditioner and special wool-shampoo, her wool became coarse and impossible to manage.

The shampoo was not bad, it had a fresh pine smell to it, and while using it she realised she had noticed it as part of Gideon's scent before. Though often overpowered by the constant scent of sweet pastry that always stuck to him.

After thoroughly drying her wool and combing through it with the big comb she always kept in her purse, she gave herself a long look in the mirror. She was pretty sure no one would be able to tell she had not slept at her own apartment. With her wool in its usual bun, it did not look too bad, and she had changed before coming here last night, so she would not be wearing the same clothes either. Happy with her appearance, Mary stepped back out into Gideon's apartment.

The wonderful smell of fresh coffee and pancakes with syrup filled Gideon's small apartment. Mary climbed up on the bar stool facing the kitchen, resting her head in her hoofs as she watched Gideon flip the last pancake, adding it to the two impressive towers of evenly sized pancakes already on the plates beside the stovetop.

"Breakfast is served" he smiled, setting her plate down in front of her.  
"This looks delicious" Mary praised, reaching for her cutlery.  
"Don't praise before you've tried it" Gideon mumbled modestly as he sat down across from her.  
"Gideon, everything I've tasted that you've made has been delicious" Mary reminded him, putting a forkful of pancakes into her mouth, closing her eyes in appreciation. "And this is no exception"

Gideon chuckled into his coffee, his eyes lovingly watching as Mary continued eating the breakfast he had made her. She only stopped to take a sip of her own coffee. Pausing for a second, she sent him a quick glance and he could see the hint of a blush on her nose; he had already put milk in it.

"So…" Mary begun as she poured herself another cup of coffee. "When am I meeting your mother?"  
Gideon swallowed a piece of pancake, giving her an examining look.  
"You sure?"  
Mary nodded, giving him a reassuring smile.  
"I was thinkin', maybe invite her here?" Gideon ventured. "I don't wanna involve Pa yet"

To be honest, Gideon was worried his father would do something violent. He had reacted with violence before, though not often. However, Gideon had enough memories of Joff Grey lashing out that it made him think twice about introducing him to Mary without some kind of backup plan.

"We could have coffee down in the bakery?" Mary suggested, relieved Gideon's father was out of the equation for the time being.

"Yea" Gideon agreed. "We could meet on Sunday?"  
Mary nodded, nervously sucking her lower lip. "Ok. Sunday. It's a date"  
"It's a date" Gideon repeated, chuckling nervously.

Gideon took Mary's hoof over the breakfast bar, giving it a reassuring squeeze. They shared a nervous but excited smile as they both realised how pivotal of a moment this would turn out to be.

"I'll call her this afternoon" Gideon leaned over to her, giving her forehead a quick peck.

Even though she was nervous, Mary was happier than she could ever remember being. Gideon was clearing away their plates, and wanting to do something useful she decided to make the bed. Glancing over at him standing in the kitchen, rinsing off the dirty dishes, Mary wished every morning could be like this. And maybe it would, in the future. They would see how their parents handled it, and take it slow, but Mary was certain about one thing: There would come a day when she started her mornings like this every day.

Gideon walked outside first; checking that the coast was clear before waving Mary down the stairs into the alley behind the bakery. After stealing a quick kiss at the bottom of the stairs, Mary snuck out of the alley. Hurrying up Market Street towards Schoolhouse Road, she ran a nervous hoof over her bun, hoping it would stay smooth. She had to suppress the skip sneaking into her step as she made her way to work. The morning may have been overcast, but in her mind, everything was bathing in sunshine.

* * *

In the seconds after the bell rang for first recess, the classroom was alive with noise and movement as twenty children hurriedly packed their backpacks and put on their coats and sweaters. Mary's clear voice cut through the chatter as the children pooled up around the classroom door.

"Benjamin, could you help me clean the blackboard please?"

The young wolf cub halted with his jacket already sipped up. Ellie sent him sympathetic shrug; she had already helped Mary clean the blackboard twice.  
"Yes Miss Mary" Benjamin nodded, folding his jacket over the back of his chair again. He had the same distant look in his eyes as he had yesterday.

Mary handed him the sponge, and continued to sort through her papers on the desk while she wondered how to begin this conversation without sounding to probing.

"Benjamin," she begun. "How are you doing?"  
"Ok" he shrugged, continuing to clean the chalk of the blackboard.  
"No one's bothering you?"  
"No"  
"Well, that's good" Mary realised she was not going to get anywhere asking questions, and she was certainly not going to force him to tell her what was troubling him.

"I just want you to know that you can always talk to me or Mrs. Claudia if anything is bothering you, anything at all"

Benjamin turned from the blackboard, and for a moment, Mary could see a sadness in his eyes that nearly broke her heart, but he quickly concealed it again.  
Benjamin kept his eyes cast down as he handed her the sponge, his voice low and determined.

"I finished cleaning the board"  
"Thank you" Mary smiled warmly at him.

Without another word. he walked back to his desk, grabbing his jacket of the chair.

"Benjamin" Mary called after him as he headed for the door.  
"You know, sometimes problems are easier to carry if you have someone to share them with"

Benjamin seemed to think this over for a moment, before giving her a short nod, leaving the classroom without as much as a good bye.  
Had Mary been Marnie, she would have scolded him for disrespectful behaviour, but Mary understood there was something else behind this young cub's behaviour than just lack of manners.  
Something was troubling him, and Mary only wished she could be able to break through the protective layer Benjamin had spun around himself.

* * *

"Mary, you do remember to cover my gate-duty?" Claudia asked as she buttoned up her coat, coming down the empty hall, ready to pick up Kelly for her dentist appointment.

"I do, just remember to cover mine on Monday" Mary smiled over her coffee mug. The cheetah seldom seemed stressed, but Mary wondered if Claudia maybe was more nervous about visiting the dentist than her daughter.

"Thanks!"

Mary stepped aside to let Claudia pass her, but as she did, the cheetah halted right where she was nearest to her. Mary held her breath in terror as the big cat inhaled the air just above her head, a curious furrow between her brows. Mary was sure she had been thorough with the scent neutraliser this morning, and she had shampooed her wool two times, even if that had not been strictly necessary.  
Could she give any believable explanation to why she smelled like a fox? Her mind was racing with her pulse as she tried to think of something, but Claudia beat her to it.

"Did you change your shampoo?"  
"Y-yeah" Mary could barely keep her voice from shaking.  
"Forrest Pine?" Mary only managed a nod in response.  
"Huh" Claudia looped her purse over her shoulder. "My husband uses that one"

Mary wished she could disappear into the wall behind her, her hoofs was shaking so badly she feared her coffee would spill.  
"He, yea" Mary laughed nervously. "I-I read on this blog that-that it was great for wool, and I decided to give it a try"  
"Really?" Claudia crooked an eyebrow at the nervous sheep.  
"Yea" Mary nodded a little too eagerly. Luckily, she was literally saved by the bell as it chimed to announce the end of recess.  
"That's the time already?!" Claudia checked her wristwatch as if the school bell could somehow chime early. She was already down the hallway and waving back at Mary.  
"See you on Monday Mary!"

As the rush of children flooded into the hallway, Mary leaned against the wall, letting out a long sigh of relief.

* * *

Travis walked out from the gas station, happily sipping his hot coffee. Chuck had needed several new parts from the central car-part dealer, including a full carton of spark plugs. With all the farming equipment due to come into the shop after the harvest was over it would be best to be prepared. Travis agreed. It was a great opportunity to get out of the garage for a change. It was a lovely autumn day, overcast sure, but with the radio and heater on Travis had had quite the nice trip to Tri-central and back again.

Taking another sip from his tolerable gas station coffee, he strode over to the Beaver Dam Garage truck. Strictly speaking, it was too big for a ferret to drive, but with his own modifications, he managed to reach the pedals just fine.  
The loud revving of engines made him jump out of the way, as three motorcycles pulled in by the gas pumps at an irresponsible high speed.  
"Shit" he swore as the scolding hot coffee seeped through his pants.  
"Hey, watch it!" He yelled at the bikers, earning him a rather lewd gesture from the smaller one. Under all their biker gear, their bushy grey tales was the only thing to expose their species.

Travis scoffed, throwing his now empty styrofoam cup in a nearby bin. He was not about to pick a fight with three wolves over a spilled cup of mediocre coffee. Anyway, he knew a place in town where he could get a free refill.  
Giving himself a mental pat on the back for being the bigger mammal, then chuckling at the irony of that phrase, he jumped into the truck and started the engine.

"Hey kid!" Travis greeted as he entered Gideon's bakery. The owner himself was nowhere to be seen, but Elliot was familiar enough with Travis to know what to get him.

"Afternoon Mr. Mustela!" Elliot greeted as he poured the ferret a cup of coffee, setting it down on the counter.  
"Didn't I tell ya to cut the Mr- stuff?" Travis said as he jumped up on the counter, dangling his feet as he took a sip from the large black coffee. "Sounds too fancy, Travis'll do"  
"Sure Mr. Travis"  
Travis rolled his eyes, but did not comment any further, looking up from his coffee as Gideon appeared from the kitchen with a tray full off milkshakes and pies. There was only three occupied tables in the bakery, the afternoon rush not having set in yet.

"Afternoon" Travis greeted, raising his coffee cup in a toast.  
"Travis" Gideon sighed as he passed around the counter. "Will you please get your dirty work trousers off my countertop."

Travis held a paw over his chest, a mock hurt expression on his face before dutifully jumping down.

Gideon came back with the empty tray under his arm, sitting down by the table Travis had chosen to sit by now that the countertop was off limits. Not that he would not do it again next time he came by.

"You on your way outta town?" Gideon asked, enjoying getting to rest his legs for a moment.  
"Into town" the ferret corrected. "Have actually been to the Tri-Burrows central car-part dealer today"  
"Is that so" Gideon replied, having to bite his cheeks a little to keep from smiling.  
"Yea" Travis took a sip of his coffee, a sly twinkle in his eye. "Speaking of; how's that new dynamo workin' out for ya?"  
"It's workin' out just fine" Gideon said, smiling in spite of himself.  
"Good ta hear" taking another sip from his coffee, Travis turned to Elliot behind the counter. "Hey kid! Possible to get a slice of somethin' sweet with this?"

* * *

Mary slipped on the orange high visibility vest as she trotted through the schoolyard, nodding to Marnie as she passed her. The old goat would watch the children in the schoolyard, leaving Mary to keep the gate by herself. Not that it was a problem; she had grown up in Bunnyburrow, there were not many mammals she did not know. She already recognized one wholesome looking ewe standing by the gates as she approached.

"Daryl!" Mary called over her shoulder to the swings. "Your mother is here!"  
She smiled at Daryl's mother as she walked through the gate opening onto the small parking lot, just about big enough to room five medium sized cars.

"How has he behaved today?" The older ewe asked in a lowered voice as her son jumped off the swings.  
"Oh, no trouble today Mrs. Dorper"

Daryl and Paul had been behaving quite well recently. Mary suspected it had a lot to do with the lack of victims, and luckily, they had not seemed interested in finding a new one after Benjamin had started fitting in.  
She felt sorry for Daryl's mother, she had been in enough meetings with other parents and teachers over her son's behaviour to last a lifetime. Even if her son could be a mean little lamb, he was still her son, and Mary could only imagine what that had to be like.

"He's been behaving exemplary all week" she added, offering Mrs. Dorper a reassuring smile. Daryl came up to them then, his backpack nonchalantly thrown over his shoulder. His mother sent Mary a small thankful smile, before following her son to their car.

Mary glanced back over the gate. Benjamin was sitting on the edge of one of the sandboxes with Ellie, the latter trying to cheer him up with some elaborate tail of her siblings food fight the other evening. Mary wished she could reach through to him; the look in his eyes earlier still left her with a nagging feeling that something was very wrong.

* * *

"And then, just as dad got up, SMACK!" Ellie clapped her paws together. "Emma's gravy hit him right in his face!" She looked expectantly at her friend, waiting for a laugh that never came.  
"Ben? Benjamin? Hello!" Ellie waved her paw in front of his eyes.  
"What? Oh.. yea, that was really funny" Benjamin answered without a hint of a smile.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Nothing"  
"Liar" Ellie got up in front of him, her paws on her hips as she leaned towards him; a pose her mother always used when she was being strict.  
"You've barley talked to me for two days. Did Daryl do something?"  
"No" the wolf sighed. Benjamin wanted to tell her about the phone call, but did not see what difference that would make. It would not change anything, but Miss Mary's kind voice sang through his mind again. _  
You know, sometimes problems are easier to carry if you have someone to share them with._

"I think my uncle called mom" he swallowed, keeping his eyes on the ground.  
"Oh" Ellie lost her mother's strict stance. "The mean uncle?"

Benjamin nodded, about to continue when he froze, his ears standing straight up on his head. Seeing this, Ellie raised her own, listening intently. Far away, still a little too far for others to really pick it up, there was a rumble of engines and exhaust that was seldom heard in Bunnyburrow.  
"Motorcycles?" Ellie wondered out loud as she angled her ears to hear better.  
"Hey!" Benjamin had grabbed her arm in an almost painful grip, dragging her behind him as he ran towards the thick bushes by the swings.

* * *

Mary turned towards the uncommon sound of revving motorcycle engines. She could already see three figures riding towards the school, bushy grey tales in the wind behind them.

An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach as the tree wolves slowed down, parking their bikes in the middle of the small parking lot. Unclasping their helmets, and giving their surroundings a once over. Her unease grew as one of the wolves unstrapped a bat from the side of his motorcycle.

The largest of the trio, a dark grey wolf dressed in all black, strode towards her with a toothy smile. His eyes were nothing more than two yellow slits, and as he got closer, she noticed that his ears was missing pieces in several places, as if someone had bitten down and torn their teeth through them.

"Good afternoon miss" he greeted, looking down on her with a condescending smile, his voice dripping with pretend politeness.  
"I'm here to pick up my nephew; I believe he uses the name Wolfskinsky these days"

His eyes were searching the schoolyard behind her as he spoke, quickly snapping back to her when she started to speak.  
"I'm sorry, but I can only allow children to be picked up by their legal guardian or someone already approved by their guardian"

Mary thanked herself for rehearsing that sentence in college, because this wolf was making her anxious. Something sinister flashed over his eyes before the condescending toothy smile was back on his lips. He crouched down, leaning on his left knee to be on eye level with her. Mary actually had to keep herself from taking a step back.

She had always found faux leather jackets to be extremely tasteless and insensitive for a number of reasons, and the one this wolf was wearing was one of the best imitations she had seen. As he crouched down however, an acrid smell stung in her nostrils, making her stomach turn. This was not faux leather.

"I totally understand miss, but Eva is held up at the hospital. And as a good brother in law, I volunteered to pick up little Benny" Mary froze in place as he reached out his clawed paws and sipped up the sipper on the front of her high visibility vest.

"Now, you're not going to be a problem, are you little miss cotton?"

* * *

Hidden beneath the prickly bush by the swings, Benjamin lay completely still, eyes wide as he watched his uncle crouch down in front of his teacher. Behind his uncle, his two usual sidekicks, Rocky and Dexter, came up to flank him. Dexter was holding a stained bat, chewing on some tobacco as his eyes searched the schoolyard, sending shivers down Benjamin's spine every time his eyes passed over the bush.

"That's your uncle?" Ellie whispered beside him. Benjamin just nodded. "What's he talking to Miss Mary for?"  
"I think he wants to take me" Benjamin whispered back.  
"Like, kidnap you?"  
"Yeah" Benjamin shuddered.  
Ellie put a comforting paw on her friends arm, but she could not help her nose twitching. Those wolves were big. But maybe Miss Mary could make them leave, Ellie did not know anyone who were as smart as her math-and science teacher.

* * *

"I-I'm sorry" Mary repeated, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "But I'll have to hear that from Mrs. Wolfskinsky herself"

She hoped Marnie had noticed what was happening at the gate, she was almost counting on the old goat's prejudice against predators, especially anything canine, to hold back the remaining children. Stealing a quick glance over her shoulder, she could not immediately see Benjamin, and hoped the three wolves had not either.

The large wolf rose to his feet with a sigh. To his left, a young wolf with several golden rings piercing his ears sent him a questioning look, lifting his bat a few inches. Rex shook his head slightly, before turning his attention back to the annoying sheep in front of him.

Before Mary had time to react, he raised his arm, the back of his paw coming down on her cheek with such force she was knocked over, hitting the back of her head against the asphalt.  
Rex chuckled, clearly amused at how little was required to strike her down.

"I didn't hit _that_ hard, did I Rocky?"  
"Barley a slap boss" rumbled the wolf at his right.  
"Thought so. Sheep are so weak" he sighed with fake disappointment.

Mary lay on the asphalt in shock as the pain sang through her head. She could hear some commotion in the schoolyard behind her, making out Marnie's stern but hurried voice as she gathered up the remaining children. Mary hoped Benjamin was with them.

* * *

Under the bush by the swings, the wolf cub and the bunny drew a unison breath in shock as their teacher hit the ground.  
"Oh no" Benjamin whispered, tears starting to well up in his eyes.

Ellie wanted to flee; she needed to flee. She only hesitated for another second, the sight of Miss Mary lying motionless on the ground on the other side of the chain-link fence making the decision for her: She needed to keep her friend safe.

This time it was Ellie's turn to grab Benjamin's arm, dragging him behind her as she dashed from their hiding place and around the corner of the school.

Benjamin tried his best to keep himself from tumbling over as he was dragged out from under the bush. The three wolves at the gate were too busy snickering at Miss Mary to notice them. They turned the corner of the building, finding themselves behind the school. Behind here the chain- link fence was over six feet high; there was no way they would be able to jump over it.

Letting go of his arm, Ellie started to frantically look through the bushes lining the fence. There was no guarantee the hole her brother had told her about was still there, but save climbing the fence, is was their only way out.  
"Here it is!" She breathed excitedly, looking back at Benjamin who was standing just were she had left him, tears streaming down his face.

With that, a hole cut in the fence by a pair of mischievous bullies over a decade prior allowed Ellie and Benjamin to escape.

Ellie wasted no time, grabbing Benjamin's paw again as soon as he crawled through the hole in the fence. Benjamin was crying as he ran behind Ellie, the latter never letting go of his paw, even when he knew he was slowing them down.

"It's gonna be ok" Ellie assured him as they turned the corner down Market Street, running as fast as their short legs would carry them. The air was burning in her lungs now, but she would get her friend to safety, and the safest place she knew in town was just down this road.

Tightening her grip on Benjamin's paw, Ellie ran to her big brother.

* * *

"Rocky" Rex did a sharp motion with his thumb, ordering the other wolf through the gate. As Rocky jogged through the now empty schoolyard towards the main entrance where an old goat had just locked the door behind her, Rex bent back towards the sheep laying on the ground.

"Alright mutton chops" he said, the mock politeness from earlier gone from his voice. "We can do this one of two ways"  
Mary bleated in shock as his strong paw took a hold around her throat, lifting her to her feet, and then some.

"Either you tell me where I can find my nephew, or Rocky over there is going to start tearing through that building brick by brick until we find him"

In the case of an emergency as this one, the drill was to gather the children in the school gym, bar the doors and call the police. Chances were that Benjamin was in there with the rest of the pupils and teachers. Even as her feet left the ground, Mary was determined to keep that little piece of information to herself.

* * *

"Elliot!"

Elliot looked up from behind the counter in alarm as his little sister crashed through the bakery door, making the bell chime shrilly. Seeing the look of terror on his sister's face, and the crying cub behind her, which he recognised as one of her classmates, he swiftly jumped over the counter towards her.

"Ellie, what's the matter?" he knelt down in front of her, laying a steady big brother paw on her shoulder. **  
**"We must hide Benjamin, they're gonna kidnap him!"  
Elliot gave his sister a confused look. "Who?"

"You little critters out 'a school already?"

Gideon came around a table with a tray of used plates and coffee cups, his friendly smile fading into an unsure frown as he recognized the fear on the faces of the two children standing panting in front of Elliot.

"Mr. Grey!" Ellie nearly shouted. Not as familiar with the fox as her cousins, she never called him "Giddy" as they sometimes did.  
"You must hide Benjamin! They're going to take him!"  
"Who? Ellie, what are you talking about?" Elliot urged his little sister.  
"Big wolves! His uncle wants to take him" the little bunny rushed, still out of breath from the wild dash through town. She was clutching Benjamin's arm, the cub standing behind her anxiously watching Market Street through the window.

Travis had hopped down from his chair, joining the group by the door. He shared a concerned glance with Gideon as the bunny explained. The little gathering by the entrance was starting to draw the attention of some of the patrons in the bakery as well.

"They hit Miss Mary! Really hard" Ellie said wide eyed, the shock of seeing her teacher flung to the ground still making her nose twitch.  
"What?!" Travis said in disbelief. Gideon looked like someone had flung a bucket of ice water over his head.  
"She-she didn't get up again" Benjamin let out a soft sob as he turned to the ferret.  
He was hoping against hope that his teacher would be ok, but he knew the wolf he was running from too well.

The abrupt sound of shattering porcelain against the bakery's floor tiles made everyone's heads turn, but the catalyst of the sound was already gone. The bell over the door chimed sharply as Gideon flung it open, the fox in full sprint up the street before anyone had time to react.

"Shit!" Travis hissed, already on his way after him. "Call the cops!" the ferret ordered Elliot, before he ran after Gideon up Market Street.

Back in the day, Travis could easily outrun Gideon in a dead sprint, but the fox had a head start, and he was not fourteen anymore.

Gideon's knee long apron was hindering his movements, so he unceremoniously ripped it off, letting it float to the ground somewhere behind him. Turning the corner of the last block, he was down on all fours, the air burning in his lungs. He could hear Travis shouting somewhere behind him, but all his senses were focusing in on the emerging school building down the stretch of road in front of him.

Dread hit him like cold waves as he closed in on the parking lot. He could make out two large wolves dressed in black standing by the gate, but he could not see Mary anywhere. Then the smaller wolf moved to the side, revealing the other lifting Mary with an iron grip around her neck and jaw. He was holding her inches from his face, his teeth bared in a snarl. Gideon's claws unsheathed to full length without him giving it a conscious thought.

"Dammit Gid! Stop!" Travis shouted behind him, realising that he would not be able to reach him before his friend reached the school's small parking lot.

* * *

"Look here mutton chops" Rex snarled as he lifted Mary up to his face. His horrible breath mixing with the strong odour from his leather jacket.  
"I haven't had lunch today, and you're lookin' awfully tasty right about now"

Mary let out an involuntary whimper as she felt the claws on his thumb and index fingers dig into her cheeks. She tried her best to hold on to his wrist, keeping the strain of her neck but at the same time twisting desperately in an attempt to loosen his grip.

"So I suggest you tell me where the cub is"

Even in his tight grip, Mary managed a tiny shake of the head. She needed to buy them time. Marnie would probably have managed to gather the remaining kids inside by now, and called the cops from one of the landlines. To her knowledge, the old goat did not own a cell phone. Nevertheless, it would take time, even for a speeding police car, to drive from the Tri-Burrows police station two miles from here.

Her continued resolve seemed to piss the large wolf off even more. With a low snarl, he mercilessly tightened his grip on her cheeks. A muffled scream seeped through her locked jaws. The sharp pain from his claws brought tears to her eyes, but the sound was the worst. Two hollow pops in quick succession, followed by the rusty taste of blood flowing over her tongue.

The pain and taste of her own blood brought on a panic unlike anything Mary had ever experienced. Her vision tunneled and she started to desperately kick and wiggle in his grip, her breathing rapid and hitched as she made every effort to escape. Her failing effort amused Rex as he lifted her closer to his face, snickering.

"I'll just have to search the entire building then, and I can't promise what I'll do with whoever else I find" His snarl mixing with his smile.  
"As I said; haven't had my lunch yet" this earned him a laugh from his sidekick, the smaller wolf swinging his bat playfully over his shoulder with a sinister smile.

Mary shut her eyes tightly as Rex brought his bared teeth down to her face. She expected sharp teeth to clamp down on her; instead, she felt a warm rough tongue lap up the blood streaming from her cheeks and down her chin. It made nausea well up in the middle of her panic.

"Oooooh, mutton chops, you're tastier than you loo- OHF!"

Something hit Rex with such force that he was flung to the side, letting go of Mary in his surprise.

Mary was not prepared for the sudden drop, and landed roughly on her back. The impact knocking the air out of her lungs. She instinctively rolled over on her side, trying to catch her breath and at the same time feebly shield herself from the second blow. Her cheeks throbbed and stung, the blood slowly trickling down to pool in her wool and staining her pink sweater.

There was no second blow; instead, a now familiar warmth surrounded her as a rumbling growl filled her ears. Opening her eyes, Mary saw a blur of red fur and a blue plaid against the grey sky above her.  
"Gideon" she winced when her cheeks stung by the motion of speaking.

Gideon did not offer her a glance, but kept his eyes fixed on the wolf in front of him. He crouched over her on all fours, effectively shielding her under him. A constant low growl that sent shivers down Mary's spine sounded from somewhere deep in his chest.

For a moment, no one moved a muscle. Rex sat dumbstruck on the ground, shaking his head as he tried to figure out what had just hit him. Dexter, unable to perform even the simplest task without the direct order from his boss, looked on in shock as the boss in question sat staring at the growling fox that had appeared out of nowhere.

"The hell!?" Rex exclaimed as he got back on his feet. Discovering the fox, his expression quickly shifted from disbelief to anger.

Gideon never took his eyes of the large wolf.  
This was nothing like the blinding anger he had experienced during his teenage years. What he felt now was a burning rage surging through every fibre of his body, together with a strong need to protect and defend. He had never felt so focused in his life.  
The scent of Mary's blood and fear filled the air around him, fuelling his rage. The source of her pain was right in front of him, and he would stop at nothing to keep her safe from it. There was nothing else in the world that mattered to him at that moment. As the alpha wolf got up and charged at them, Gideon bared his teeth in a loud snarl, ready to stand his ground.

"Oh shit"  
Travis skidded inelegantly to a halt as he came running into the parking lot. Gideon was so focused on the wolf that had held Mary that he had completely forgotten about the one with the bat. The smaller wolf was raising the bat in his arms, ready to leap forward and bring it down on the snarling fox crouching protectively over the black sheep on the ground.

Travis had nothing that even resembled a plan as he ran towards the wolf. Sinking his small sharp claws into his biker-jacket, Travis scaled the wolf's back, closing his teeth around two of the golden rings piercing his ear.  
Dexter let out an alarmed yowl as a sharp pain shot down from his ear. He begun to dance around the parking lot waving his arms, trying to reach the creature hanging from his ear. Travis wrung his body away from the wolf every time, bracing his feet against his neck, pulling on the piercings as hard as he could manage while Dexter leaped about the parking lot.

Even though Gideon was large for a fox, he was nothing compared to a full-grown wolf. He managed to dodge Rex's first blow, but it was swiftly followed by a second. The wolf's claws dug deep into his neck and shoulder, mercilessly tearing through his skin before they caught in his collarbone, hurling him through the air.

"No!"  
Mary scrambled to get on her feet as Gideon hit the ground with a pained yelp, but before she could even move an inch towards him, a strong paw closed around her leg. Panic blurred her vision as she screamed and kicked, trying to get away from the iron grip around her leg.

Mary's scream cut through his own pain as a jolt of electricity, acute and agonising. With a snarl so animalistic it bordered on prehistoric, Gideon leaped at the alpha, sinking his teeth into the base of his neck.  
Rex stumbled backwards, foaming through his teeth as he tried to loosen the fox's jaws that was locket around the base of his neck.

The distant but recognisable sound of sirens reached the parking lot as Rocky came running back across the schoolyard from his fruitless search.  
"Boss!" he yelled. "The fuzz!"  
"Get this fucker off me!"

Finally managing to get a hold of the ferret on his back, Dexter ripped the small mammal off him, pulling out a few of his earrings in the process. Finding his grip on his bat again, he rushed to his boss's aid, bringing his bat down on Gideon's head with a sickening crack.

For a split second, Gideon felt a sharp jolt of pain shooting out from the back of his head, wrapping around his skull. Then darkness crept in from the corners of his eyes, like curtains closing over a window. The sounds around him grew distant and muddled together in one faint cacophony of noise. He had no control of his limbs; he could feel himself falling, but was unable to brace for the impact with the ground he knew would come. But it never came.

As the last flimsy string of consciousness left him, Gideon thought he could hear someone scream his name.


	12. Sirens

_First: Thank you so much for your patience and lovely comments guys! I know this has taken long, and fair warning; my weekends (which is when I do most of my writing) are going to be real busy in the coming months. But know that I will not abandon this fic, even though updates may take longer than usual._

 _Second: One of the greatest honours you can receive as a fanfic writer is someone doing fan-art of your work. Thank you so much to_ _ **Nik159,**_ _who has drawn a wonderful piece from chap 7, New Friends, Old Friends, depicting Ellie and Benjamin. I would link it if only this site allowed it, but be sure to check it out on Nik159's DeviantArt: It's called_ _ **Friends and Enemies**_ _, and it's his piece no_ _ **072**_ _. Get over there and show him some love!_

* * *

 **Chap 12: Sirens**

"GIDEON!"

Mary's scream cut through the parking lot, making Travis's fur stand up. Still in a daze from being thrown head first into the chain-link fence by the bat-wielding wolf, he watched in terror as Gideon fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

The sirens were not distant anymore, and as Rex and Dexter kicked their motorcycles into life, two police cars appeared over the hill. Rex was clamping his paw over his bleeding shoulder, a wild look in his eyes as he raced down the road towards town, away from the approaching police cars.

"GIDEON!"

Mary was kneeling over the lifeless body of the fox on the ground. She did not know what to do, trying her best in the midst of the chaos to remember the little first aid training she had. She pressed her hooves down on the wounds on his chest and shoulder in a feeble attempt to stop the bleeding.

Was he even breathing?  
Leaning down, she tried to listen with her ear over his muzzle, but she could barely hear anything over her own sobbing. Blood was flowing steady between her hooves, soaking Gideon's fur and blue shirt.

"Gideon, please-" she carefully touched her forehead against his, her tears disappearing into the fur on his face. "Please"

Even though Travis could see what was happening in front of him with gruesome clarity; it was as if he was not there. It felt like he was watching through someone else's eyes. A lethargic numbness spreading through his limbs. He just sat where he was, slumped on his knees, watching the world pass by him in slow motion as Mary's sobbing drowned in police sirens.

The first police car drove straight past them at an impressive speed, following Rex and Dexter down through town. The second car screeched to a halt across the parking lot's driveway just in time to block Rocky from making an escape. He tried to throw his motorcycle out of the way, but was too late. Rocky collided sideways with the police car, the impact sending him sliding over the hood, landing on the opposite side with a smack.

Two large ram officers jumped out of the car and tackled the wolf as he tried to get back up, one of them pinning him to the ground while the other got out his handcuffs.

More sirens and flashing blue lights announced the arrival of yet a third police car, followed by two ambulances. Adding to the chaos, several civilian cars with worried parents pulled up on the curb. The sight of blood and emergency vehicles outside their children's school making them fear every parent's worst nightmare.

The new arriving police officers had their paws full with securing the area and keeping the gathering spectators and parents out of the four newly arrived EMTs way.

Three of the EMTs, two deer and an armadillo, rushed over to the unconscious fox on the ground. A black sheep in a blood stained high visibility vest was applying pressure to his wounds while leaning her forehead against his, mumbling something inaudible.

"Miss" a calm but insistent voice addressed Mary. "Miss, I need you to move away"  
Mary barely heard him. She could not move from Gideon, convinced that her hooves pressing down on him was somehow keeping his life inside him, and that it would immediately escape if she lifted them even an inch.

Not getting through to the ewe kneeling over the lifeless fox, the EMT decided they did not have time to wait. Life was at stake here, if not already gone.

A pair of slender but strong arms grabbed Mary and lifted her away from Gideon.

"NO!"  
The panic came back with full force as one EMT held her in place and two others begun examining Gideon.  
She screamed at them to let her go, kicking and twisting, ignoring the pain in her cheeks.

"Tim, you good?" the armadillo asked without looking up from the fox he was examining.  
"Umpfh" the deer uttered as he got one of Mary's hooves in his gut. "I'm good"

"Confirmed severe head trauma" the armadillo informed the doe checking vitals, slipping his paws under the fox's head. "Cranium fracture"  
It was an unmistakable sensation; like cracked eggshell on a boiled egg. You could never forget it once you had felt it.

Dido took a deep breath before laying the fox's head back down, securing it between his knees. The Night-howler incident a year and a half ago had given him his share of claw and teeth inflicted injuries. Even though this was not nearly as bad as those had been, the sight of the deep ragged lacerations on this fox forced him to take a second to steady his paws. He wondered if he would ever be able to put those dark days behind him.

"Substantial blood loss" the doe replied while working on stopping the bleeding. "Pulse is weak but steady. No pupil-dilation. Besides the lashes on his shoulder and chest; no other external wounds. Broken collar bone"

They worked efficiently on stabilising the patient and slipping on the support collar and oxygen mask. With a few effective and skilfully executed thugs and lifts, the doe and the armadillo got the husky fox up on the gurney, rushing him to the ambulance.

"Sir, I'm going to shine a light in your eyes, please look straight ahead"  
Al realised he could as well have been talking to a brick wall. The ferret was probably too far into shock to be reached, but he needed to inform him nonetheless, in case something got through to him.

Al had knelt right in front of the ferret, trying to block as much of the scene behind him as possible. He could hear Tim struggling to keep the panicking ewe away from the others as they worked. The situation was not ideal, restraining a mammal, but it could not be avoided.

"At's good"  
Al was surprised to hear the ferret's voice. Following his line of sight, he saw Dido and Emily placing the fox in the ambulance, Emily jumping in with him while Dido took the wheel.

"They didn't cover his face" the ferret kept his gaze on the ambulance, his eyes distant. "They only cover the face when they're dead"

As soon as the ambulance with the unconscious fox disappeared over the hilltop, the ewe went slack and silent in Tim's arms.

When he tried to put her back down, her feet gave way and she slumped straight down, making Tim secure his grip around her to keep her from falling over.  
"Come with me Miss" he said softly, supporting her with a hoof under her arm.

Tim carefully led her over to the remaining ambulance, sitting her down on the gurney still inside. He carefully started checking her for other wounds than the ones on her cheeks. Which, though they were not critical, made him sick to his stomach with their deliberate infliction.  
She would nod or shake her head ever so slightly when he asked her if something hurt or not, but apart from that, she remained completely still and mute. Tim was afraid she was going into shock.

"Ben!" a light grey wolf in blue nurse scrubs appeared outside the ambulance, a wild look in her eyes. Spotting the black ewe inside, she ran over, the coat she was wearing over her scrubs flapping behind her.  
"Mary! Mary, where's Ben?"

Mary looked empty eyed at Eva, tears streaming silently down her face, mixing with the blood coagulating in her wool. She knew she should say something, but no matter how much she tried, she could not produce any sound.

"Mary! Where is he!? Did he take him? Answer me!" Eva made to climb into the ambulance, forcing Tim to abandon the gauze he was putting on Mary's cheeks to block he wolf's way.  
"Mam, I need you to step out of the ambulance"  
"Where's my son!?" Eva strained her neck to look around the deer, but Mary was non-responsive. Instead she was looking down at her bloodstained hooves, as if she was just now noticing them.  
"Mam, please-"  
"Your son's the wolf cub?"

Eva spun around so quickly, she nearly knocked the ferret over with her tail.

Travis was slowly coming back to reality again, though the antlered EMT following just behind him still kept a hoof on his shoulder, keeping him steady.

"Yes! Have you seen him, is he here?"  
Travis shook his head slowly, lifting a heavy paw to point in the direction of Market Street.  
"He's at the bakery" Travis had not even finished the sentence before the wolf took off, running down the road.

Al closed the double doors of the ambulance, allowing Tim to ride in the back with the sheep and the ferret. There seemed to be nothing physically wrong with the latter, but he still worried that he would slip back into shock. Judging by the state the fox had been in, what these two had witnessed would have been traumatising to put it mildly. Especially here. Al could not remember having to attend anything but the odd farm equipment-related injury or heart attack in Bunnyburrow.

The ambulance begun to move, pulling out on the road and making its way towards the Tri-Burrow hospital. Travis had driven home on the same road just an hour before, and now he was riding back again. Maybe it had some symbolic meaning to it, but he could not get his sluggish mind to think of any.

Glancing over at Mary sitting beside him, he noticed that she was still looking down at her hooves. She had not looked up once since he had entered the ambulance, and as Travis begun to surface from his own state of apathy, he found himself growing increasingly worried about her.

Mary was slowly turning her bloodstained hooves over in her lap. Gideon's blood was starting to congeal, turning thick and sticky, like syrup.  
"Pancakes" she whispered, grabbing the attention of Tim and Travis.  
"Just this morning" she continued, finally looking up from her hooves, meeting Travis' eyes. "He made me pancakes"

Travis put his arm around her shoulder in silent understanding, his own eyes slowly filling with tears.

* * *

"Quiet!"

Chief Bogo's deep voice settled the usual chirpy chatter in the briefing room. The day shift was coming in for paperwork, and the evening shift was going out, getting ready to suit up. Wolford was as per usual in his workout T-shirt, never changing into his uniform before absolutely last minute. If he could go on patrol in a T-shirt and sweatpants, he probably would.

Judy shifted impatiently in her seat, looking forward to get out of her uniform; her utility belt was starting to become uncomfortable on her hips. Her baton had shifted during a particular rowdy arrest and was now digging into her side, probably making a nice bruise. She had not had any time to adjust it between the arrest and driving back, now she longed for a warm shower and a pair of comfortable pants.  
Sitting beside her on the same chair, her partner had already loosened his Windsor knot. Nick was leaning back nonchalantly with his aviators on the tip of his snout and a coffee in his paw. He always managed the feat of looking incredibly bored and slightly amused at the same time.

"The usual debrief and briefing will have to wait today. A new development demands our immediate attention"  
The chief shot Judy a quick glance, implying she should pay extra attention. Judy sat up with straight ears; that did not bode well.

"I assume everyone is in some way familiar with the Rosky's by now, but I will do a quick recap to bring those not directly linked with the case up to speed"

The overhead flicked on, the mugshots of two dark grey wolfs appearing on the canvas. One of them looked especially menacing, with glaring yellow eyes and ears that seemed to have been teared into tatters.

"Meet Rex and Reginald "Reggie" Rosky" Bogo introduced. "Better known as the Rosky Brothers. Until recently, they and their gang, known as The Pack, was nothing but small- time loan sharks in the less affluent parts of Tundratown. Then big brother here-"  
Bogo tapped his clipboard at the less menacing looking of the pair.  
"Struck it big. We know the money was foreign; a trading deal with the Panda-ring in Animasia, but nothing we could pin on them. The deal made him undisputed alpha of The Pack. We catch one or two of their street dealers every month or so, we are still working on getting an officer undercover"

A few of the officers nodded in recognition. Delegato gave a disgusted scoff; he had a particular hatred towards drug dealers.

The slides changed, showing the picture of a young wolf cub, probably about nine or ten. The picture seemed to be cropped out of a larger class photo. Beside it was the headshot of beautiful light coloured arctic wolf. She was wearing the dark blue scrubs of the Zootopia Central Hospital, surgical nurse if Judy remembered the colour- coding correctly. The pretty nurse prompted a slow whistle from Wolford, which was quickly silenced by Francine's trunk smacking the back of his head.

"Benny and Eva Rosky, maiden name Wolfskinsky" Bogo informed, ignoring Wolford's whistle.  
"Reggie here turned into quite the family wolf after the upgrade to branch manager for the Panda-ring, leaving the dirty work to his brother."  
"Lemme' guess" Nick took a sip of his coffee, muttering to Judy "Little bro was not happy with the new arrangements"

"This arrangement seemed to work for a while, business boomed, until Rex got jealous."  
"Called it" Nick whispered, but Judy was not paying attention to him, she was staring at the picture of Benny Rosky. She had seen him, his face and steel coloured fur was familiar, but she could not remember where.

"In April, Hopps and Pennington were first responding officers to a motorcycle accident in Tundratown"

Of course! Nick had been put on desk duty for two weeks after an incident with use of excessive force. Everyone in the precinct understood his reaction to the rather unsavoury case of kit trafficking, but rules were rules.  
Judy had been partnered with Francine during those weeks. She remembered this case. A wolf had seemingly lost control over his motorcycle at high speed on the icy road. He had collided with a warehouse building, the impact killing him instantly.

Thinking about it still made her stomach churn; it had taken them a while to identify the species of the victim.

At first, it had looked like any other accident, but there was something off with the whole thing. No witnesses, even though the warehouse was opposite an apartment building. The second set of tyre tracks from another motorcycle; no one had seen or heard anything about that either.  
A truck driver picking up a shipment of tuna from the warehouse was the one who called it in, and by then the forensics estimated that the wolf, or what was left of him, had been out there for at least one hour.

She and Francine had been the ones to inform the wife, Eva. The son had been the one answering the door. His mother had been busy making dinner; Judy remembered the table already being set for three.

"We strongly suspect that Rex ran his brother off the road, though we have never found enough evidence to pin it on the bastard"

It had snowed in Tundratown that day, and the tyre tracks Francine had managed to secure as evidence was not clear enough to hold up in any court. The evidence on the brother had be circumstantial at best.

"Traffic cams had been sabotaged with spray-paint earlier the same day"  
"Wonder who did that..." Nick muttered again, making Judy elbow him lightly in the side.

"After his brother's death, Rex became the new alpha. His nephew, Benny, would be the traditional choice, but since he's just a cub, the task fell to Rex"

"We know Eva and Benny left the city, we assumed they lay low somewhere. Despite her affiliation, Eva has no criminal record, and quite frankly, City Hall does not grant us resources to tail dead criminals' wives" Bogo put his clipboard down on the desk, changing the slides with a press of a button to show a map that Judy found eerily familiar.  
"Then, at 15:00 this afternoon-"

Judy glanced down at her watch: that was just forty-five minutes ago.

"We got the call from the Tri-Burrows police that three wolves, one of them identified as Rex Rosky, had attacked a teacher at Bunnyburrow Elementary, and injured two other mammals, which of one is in critical condition. The initial statement from the teacher strongly indicates that the goal was to abduct Benny Rosky, enrolled in the school under the name Benjamin Wolfskinsky"

Bogo kept a close eye on his only rabbit officer as he delivered the information, her ears shooting up on high alert at the mention of her hometown. Her paw was in the air before he finished the sentence. He closed his eyes in apparent indignation before acknowledging her.

"Yes, officer Hopps"  
"Sir, can you tell us the names of the mammals injured?"

He had expected the question, and had debated taking Officer Hopps to the side before the briefing, but there had been no time. Besides, the names and the species of the injured mammals did not suggest any blood relations at least.

The chief flipped the sheets on his clipboard, finding the three names he had scribbled down before leaving his office.

"The teacher's name is Mary Fields" this earned him a shocked gasp from the bunny, and he quickly listed the two others before she could say anything else. "And one Travis Mustela, and Gideon Grey, the latter in critical condition"

"Oh no…" Nick lay a comforting paw on his partner's shoulder, genuine compassion in his eyes as his usual expression of amused boredom fell away for a moment.  
"I know them, I know all three of them Nick"

The other officers sent Judy sympathetic glances, though swiftly turning their attention back to their Chief as he continued the briefing.

"The local police have requested our assistance on the case. Now before you say anything" Bogo shifted, speaking directly to Judy. "You will have to much personal interest in the case; at least that's what any half-decent defence lawyer will argue"

Judy let the air she had been planning to use to utter her willingness to volunteer on the case go. The Chief was right, but it was frustrating none the less.

"Wolford, Fangmyre, pack your bags, you're going to Bunnyburrow"

"Be good a sport and bring me back some blueberries, will you?" Nick said nonchalantly, shooting Wolford a sideways glance over his aviators.  
"They're not in season" Judy corrected, as always annoyed when anyone got details about farm-life wrong.

Leaving the briefing room, Judy made for the lockers, determined to call her parents to get any update she could on Mary. She had not seen her friend since Christmas, but they had been close as kids, and even though she could not say the same about Gideon and Travis, she still cared for them in a way.

"Hopps!"

Judy halted as Bogo called out into the hallway. He was strolling towards her, his hooves clasping his clipboard behind his back. His face was like cut in stone, not revealing even the slightest emotion.

"MR informs me you have a lot of unused vacation days"*

The Chief's voice was his usual deep monotone, his eyes looking straight ahead as he passed her in the hallway. For a couple of seconds, Judy looked at Bogo's broad figure in confusion, before a smile of understanding played across her face.

"Thank you Chief!"

The ZPD's first and only rabbit officer jumped up and turned in the air in one movement, disappearing down the hallway towards the women's locker room.

* * *

*MR- _mammal resources_


	13. Hospital

_Finally! Again, thank you for sticking with me guys ;) Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chap. 13: Hospital**

Over the past century, the Tri-Burrows Central had developed from a small trading post for new settlers, to becoming the unofficial capitol of the Tri-Burrows. It was the natural meeting point between Bunnyburrow, Bellflowerburrow and Birchwoodburrow. Idyllically situated in a valley where the three Burrow Rivers met and formed the larger river Thiel, joining forces with each other before continuing towards the ocean.

Even though each Burrow had its own mayor, sheriff and doctors office, all the larger institutions like the Tri-Burrows College and Tri-Burrows Hospital was in Central- as the locals named it for short. This also included the Tri-Burrows police department.

Like so many other buildings in the "newer" part of the Burrows, The police department was a simple square, two-story brick building. It had basic holding cells in the basement, offices on the second floor, and a briefing room and reception area on the first floor.  
So in the way of floor planning, it was not unlike precinct one back in Zootopia, but that was where the similarities ended. Where precinct one was a light and airy affair with sleek modern lines, the Tri-Burrows police department was cramped and worn. Almost every room had brown panelled walls and old linoleum floors that had been patched up one to many times. Heavy blinds, like the kind in old detective movies, hung over the windows, adding to the atmosphere.

"Cozy" Wolford remarked sarcastically before he flung his ZPD duffle bag over one shoulder, making his way over to the tiered looking goat behind the reception. He missed Clawhauser already.

Fangmyre was feeling increasingly claustrophobic as he hunched down to avoid hitting his head in the ceiling fan. When built, the police department had clearly not been intended to ever accommodate anything larger than a well-built ram.

"No mam, no need for coffee, just show us to our desks please" he heard Wolford say to the receptionist. They were just dropping off some of their gear before taking the cruiser into Bunnyburrow.

Chief Bogo had ordered them to leave the precinct right after the briefing. Fangmyre always kept an extra set of necessities in his locker for situations like these. Wolford however, had required them to stop off at his apartment first, delaying them with at least fifteen minutes.

He glanced at his wristwatch impatiently; they needed to get to Bunnyburrow while there was still some daylight left. Rex and his accomplice was still on the run; there was no time to loose.  
In addition, Fangmyre wished to take statements directly from as many witnesses as possible rather than read the hurried scribbles of some country-bumpkin officer.

"Alright partner" Wolford said, giving Fangmyre's arm a friendly punch as he passed him. "Ready to show these country cops how it's done?"

"I'm not done showing you yet" Fangmyre said straight faced before walking out to the cruiser.  
"Ha,ha. Very funny" Wolford replied, before jumping in through the passenger side window.

The timber wolf drummed eagerly on the dashboard while Fangmyre got into the cruiser. Using the door like a proper adult, thank you very much.

"Let's get moving before Officer Hippety-Hopps decides to crash the party" he urged the tiger. "Vacation days or not, she's gonna get her paw in the salad bowl sooner or later"

* * *

Judy bounced, actually bounced, towards the trees that lined the acres of carrots and wheat between the Hopps and Fields farmsteads. Nick watched in amusement as her short tail moved with every jump, ears dancing from side to side as she went.

"I used to come this way every day after school" he could hear the smile in her voice. "Mary and Gareth would rush through dinner, and we would play out in these trees for hours. We called it The Dark Forrest" she chuckled.

Nick studied the trees wearing their autumn best as he walked past. There was never more than three trees in width and he could easily see the neighbouring fields and farm through them. A forest was a big stretch, but in the imaginative minds of a kit and two lambs, he guessed it could hold all kinds of mystery and fun.

"Any monsters in this forest of yours?"  
"Oh, sometimes" Judy said playfully, shooting him one of her smirks that never failed to send shivers down his spine. As always, he managed to clamp down on it, subduing it before it grew into something he could no longer control.

The Fields' farm was about the same size as the Hopps'. With a gravelled driveway leading from the small country road to a one storied house with a large roofed front porch running the length of the house. The porch was filled with cushioned furniture and flowerpots hanging from hooks and standing on shelves. Most of the flowers had wilted now that the seasons had changed. The cushions on the furniture would soon have to be taken inside for the winter.

Mrs Fields was on a small stepladder, cleaning up dead leafs and petals, gathering the empty flowerpots on the porch table. She kept a wary eye on her daughter, who had insisted she needed to get out for some air. The black ewe was sitting on the porch wrapped in a quilted blanket her mother had never seen before. Mary had refused to sit on any of the furniture, and instead opted for the cold wood of the porch steps.

She sat completely still, and had done so for almost half an hour. Only the occasional quiet sob gave away the state she was in.

Her parents had tried talking to her, even Gareth had quite uncharacteristically taken on his big-brother role (though he only was so by two minutes), and tried his best to consolidate her.

Mary felt her tears soak through the gauze on her cheeks and buried her face deeper in the yellow, pink and blue patches of the quilt, drawing in the faint traces of Gideon that still lingered in it.

She had been discharged from the hospital after a few hours. Her parents had picked her up and taken her home, insisting she should not be alone. All she had wanted was to stay behind in the hospital. But there was no reason for her, as far as anyone knew nothing more than an acquaintance, to wait for Gideon to come out of surgery.

At least Travis fed her updates by text whenever he heard anything from Gideon's mother, but Mary had not heard from him all day. They had kept Gideon in a coma for three days now, nothing more to do than wait and hope.

Another sob threatened to tear through her, and she swallowed it down as best as she could. For now, she let her parents believe this was all due to the trauma of being attacked by wolves. "A natural primeval reaction"- her mother had called it.

The sound of crunching gravel made her look up from the quilt. At first, her heart jumped in her chest at the sight of red fur. However, the feeling was short lived as she recognized that the slender fox turning the corner of the house was not the one she was longing for.

As soon as Judy turned the corner of the house and saw Mary sitting on the porch with gauzed cheeks, she ran over. She circled her arms around Mary and pulled her into a warm hug.

Mary closed her eyes as her childhood friend embraced her. They had shared everything with each other growing up, form first crushes to big dreams of the future. Mary suddenly wished she had called Judy weeks ago. The past three day's would have been much easier to bear if she had someone she could have talked to.

Judy held the hug for a long while, leaving Nick to stand awkwardly alone in front of the porch. He could feel the sceptical eyes of the garden-gloved ewe staring down at him.

"Mary, how are you doing?" Judy asked sincerely.  
"Better, it's just four stitches" Mary decided to focus solely on the physical part of her well-being, at least that way she would not be lying.

"And a concussion" her mother added sharply as she climbed down from her stepladder.  
"Honestly. I don't know why more resources haven't been put into this" she huffed, taking off her three fingered gardening gloves. "There are two criminals, two _wolves,_ on a rampage through the Burrows and -"  
"Mom, please" Mary interrupted, her tired voice revealing that this was not the first time during these past three days she had heard her mother start this triad.

"Mrs. Fields" Judy offered. "I assure you two of ZPD's best officers are assisting the Tri-Burrows police on this case" Judy said confidently. Though she wondered how the middle-aged ewe would react when officer Wolford showed up on her porch.

"I should hope so" Mrs Fields said sharply, giving Nick another onceover before picking up the empty flowerpots and walking back inside.

"I'm sorry about that" Mary said meekly, turning to the until now ignored fox. "You must be Officer Wilde?" She was careful when she formed her words, as not to tug on her stiches.

"Just Nick when I'm off duty" Nick extended his paw, gently taking her small hoof. "And I'm sorry we couldn't meet under happier circumstances" he had a genuine friendly smile on his muzzle, nothing like the slick smile from his hustler days.

"Thanks" Mary said, before tucking her hoof back under her quilted blanket. Judy sat down on the steps beside her, Nick opting for leaning against the railing.

"I'm sorry about mom" Mary apologised to Nick again. "She gets very… defensive"

Nick thought 'speciest' would probably be a more suitable word, but he kept his mouth shut. This was not the time for snarky remarks.

"It's ok" Judy said, keeping a paw on her knee. "You've been through a lot"

Mary just nodded, not able to hold back her sob this time. Judy swiftly pulled her in for another hug, holding her until her crying had stilled somewhat.

"We're going to catch them" she promised. "We're going to lock them up and you'll never see them again, I promise"

Nick was always impressed with how Judy, even out of uniform, never stopped being a cop. _You can take the bunny out of the police, but never the police out of the bunny._ He thought fondly.

"It's not just that" Mary said carefully, her head still on Judy's shoulder. Mary wanted to tell her. She longed for someone to confide in, though Nick being there made her hesitate. Mary did not know him, and she had no idea how he would react to it all.

Her hesitation was not lost on Nick, who nonchalantly stretched his back before making a point of looking around the farm.

"You know, it's a lovely place you have here, beautiful fields. Mind if a city fox takes a stroll around the property?" He said before picking a pair of aviators out of his shirt pocket.

"S-sure, go ahead" Mary said, a little surprised.

Judy sent Nick a grateful glance, which he answered with a quick wink over the top of his aviators. Casually slipping his paws into his pockets, Nick strolled over to the Fields' barn, seemingly intrigued by the firewood neatly stacked against the outer wall.

Mary dried the fresh tears of her face, searching for the right words to say. Judy was patiently waiting by her side, keeping a comforting arm over her shoulder.  
Was it right for her to say anything at all? Gideon was unconscious and unable to give his consent to her revealing their relationship. They had agreed to take one small step at a time, but if he did not wake up-

A muffled ringtone from Mary's pocket interrupted her train of thought, instead making her fumble to get her phone out from under the blanket she had wrapped around herself.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the caller-ID.  
"I'm sorry, I have to take this!"

Shrugging out of the quilt, she sent Judy a quick apologetic glance before hurriedly walking into the house, closing the door between them. Judy sent her a questioning look, but stayed on the porch steps, respecting the privacy of the phone call.

In the hallway, Mary's hooves shook so badly she had to tap at the screen several times before she managed to answer the call.

"Y-yes?"  
Mary clutched her shaky hoof to her chest as Travis' hoarse voice sounded through her phone.

"Gid's Ma just called-"

* * *

The first thing he became aware of was light. Even before he could muster enough consciousness to open his eyes, he sensed there was light. It was penetrating through the thin skin on his eyelids, making the until now dull headache increase in strength until it pounded through his head with the power of a freight train. He must have groaned, because suddenly a soft paw was holding his, careful claws caressing his face.

"Ssssh, I'm here honey, Ma's here"

Gideon managed to crack his eyes open just a fraction before the light above him became too painful to handle. He groaned again, becoming aware of the throbbing pain in his left chest and shoulder.  
Gideon was confused; he could not understand why he was in pain. Working backwards in his slow, drugged mind, he tried to find his last memory, to no avail.

Carefully opening his eyes again, he attempted to focus on his surroundings, but it was all a blur of white and sterile light. Except for something warm and red by his side. After what seemed like an eternity, he managed to focus enough to recognize his mother by his bedside. She was smiling through a steady stream of tears, squeezing his paw in her own.

"It's alright" she whispered, reaching her free paw up to pull the red string hanging above his bed.  
"It's alright, Ma's here"  
"Ma.."  
Memories started to flood back into Gideon's hurting mind, all of them tainted with the metallic tinge of blood.

"WHERE'S MARY!?"

The sudden rush of adrenaline that surged through his bloodstream made him jolt up in his bed. A crushing wave of pain and nausea quickly knocked him back down however, leaving him heaving for air.

Concerned looking into her son's wide desperate eyes, Vera put a steady paw on his shoulder to prevent him from trying to sit up again.

"Honey, Mary who?" Vera asked. It took her a moment to realise who he meant.  
"Do you mean the teacher, the black sheep?" Gideon nodded frantically, making pain shoot out from his head and down his neck.  
"I-I assume she's at her home" his mother answered, stroking her other paw over his bandaged head in an attempt to soothe him.

"So she's alright?" Gideon pressed, his pulse pounding in his ears.  
"Yes, she's fine"

Vera was a little confused, but the doctors had told her not to expect him to think clearly right away. With the head trauma he had suffered, it was hard to say what state he would be in when he woke up. The best thing she could do was to answer his questions calmly, and frankly; she was just happy he was awake and speaking at all.

Gideon's breathing calmed a little, his eyes staring unfocused up at the ceiling.

"I need to see her"

Vera squeezed Gideon's good shoulder reassuringly.  
"Sure honey, but first we need to see the doctor, alright?"

Gideon looked like he was going to protest, but was interrupted by the door to the hallway opening.

A young rust-coloured squirrel in white nurse scrubs hurriedly entered the room, clearly answering to the string his mother had pulled just moments prior. Seeing Gideon awake in his bed made a relieved smile spread across her face. She quickly climbed the small-scale stepladder by the side of his hospital bed, placed there for the smaller nurses and doctors to use when tending to larger sized mammals.

"Hello Mr. Grey, I'm Nurse Tracy" she introduced herself to Gideon, clearly having spoken to his mother before.  
"I'm going to ask you a few questions, but first I will shine this into your eyes" she pulled out a tiny flashlight from one of her pockets.  
"Just follow the light with your eyes for me, and keep your head still" she instructed while turning on the flashlight.

"How long?" Gideon muttered while doing his best to follow the yellow light; it made his head pound like crazy.  
"How long have you been unconscious?" the nurse completed for him, understanding what he wanted to know.  
"Three days, but most of it in an induced coma. We needed to make sure there was no permanent damage to your brain after surgery"

Clearly happy with his effort to follow the light of her flashlight, she put it back in her pocket.  
"Now, if you could do this for me" she held out her paws, slowly touching her fingers to her thumb.  
Gideon repeated as best he could. It was difficult to manage with his left paw, which was secured to his chest in a sling.

"Wonderful" she smiled. "And could you tell me your full name and date of birth?"

"Gideon Grey, June 4th 1990" Gideon said without missing a beat. Vera shot the nurse a relieved glance.

"And do you know where you are?"  
"A hospital" Gideon had gathered as much, and now that his memory was back he understood why.  
"Correct. You are at the Tri-Burrows Hospital to be exact" Tracy said, looking at him with calm honey-coloured eyes.

Gideon suddenly became aware of all the tubes and wires attached to him. There was a heart monitor by his left where the nurse was standing, together with two other machines he did not recognise. A needle was feeding a slow drip through a tube into his right arm. His left arm was secured to his torso in a sling, and most of his shoulder and chest was cowered in bandages under his green hospital gown.

"Now" Tracy continued with a calm smile after reading the monitors. "I'll just go fetch Doctor Erasmuson for you, but everything looks to be just fine" the last comment seemed more directed at Vera than Gideon.

The squirrel climbed gracefully down the ladder, quickly leaving Gideon and Vera alone again. Gideon turned his head towards his mother, struggling to speak through his dry mouth. He wondered when the last time he had something to drink was.

"And Travis?" he managed, remembering his friend running after him.  
"He's fine, just a few bruises" Vera assured him, her paw never leaving his.

Travis had yelled for him to stop, but Gideon had not been able to, he had not wanted to. All he had been able to focus on was to get to Mary, to protect her. He could still remember the scent of blood and panic in the air around him. Then she had screamed, and he had reacted on pure instinct, he had-

"Ma. I bit someone"  
He could remember the feeling of his teeth sinking down to the gums through warm flesh and fur. He had bit hard and deep, and he had jumped right for the wolf's neck. Gideon suddenly felt ice cold.  
"Did I-?" He could not even get himself to say it.

"Oh no, honey. No you didn't" Vera said reassuringly. Leaning over her son, she gently stroked the bushy fur on his cheeks, before adding: "But they got away, two of them at least. The police are still looking"

Gideon nodded slowly, weary of the pain that had shot down his neck last time.

Now that his mind finally had some time to settle, an absence was making itself glaringly obvious.  
He decided not to ask his mother where his father was, or why he was not there. He reckoned he already knew the answer anyway.  
Either Joff was passed out in the tool shed back home, or he had mustered enough soberness to drive his truck aimlessly around the Burrows. Even though Gideon could not claim to be surprised at his father's absence, it still stung that he had not showed up.

Yet, that sting was barely noticeable over the hollow feeling growing in his chest. He needed to see Mary, needed to see with his own eyes that she was all right, that she was not badly injured. It registered like a strong desire deep inside him, as if his body would not allow him to rest properly before the need was satisfied.

Before he could find the words to explain to his mother that Mary was so much more than just _the teacher_ , the door to his room was swung open again. Nurse Tracy came back in, and at first Gideon thought she was alone. That was before he noticed the tiny field mouse walking by her side.

Like so many other brain- and neurosurgeons, Dr. Erasmuson was a rodent. The precision and skill needed to perform the delicate procedures of surgery was well suited for naturally delicate and precise paws.

Even though Gideon was grateful that this tiny mouse had most likely saved his life, and he made sure to express his gratitude more than once, he struggled to keep focused. The doctor's high-pitched explanation of the surgery was hard for Gideon to follow. And despite not been conscious for more than an hour, he already felt his eyelids slipping.

"Dr. Erasmuson, perhaps the patient should get some more rest" Tracy suggested, interrupting the doctor's lengthy explanation of the removal of a stray bone fragment from inside Gideon's scull.

"Ah, yes, yes, quite right you are nurse" he squeaked. "Well, in short Mr. Grey: If everything heals properly, which I see no reason for it not to, you should be discharged in two weeks' time. Though I strongly recommend a lot of bedrest even after you've been discharged"

Gideon wondered how he would manage to keep the bakery running if he had to stay in bed all day. As he drifted off into a deep sleep, Gideon absentmindedly worried about having to leave Elliot alone to close up shop.

* * *

Vera made her way down the hall towards the hospital cafeteria. She had not eaten properly in days, never wanting to leave her son's side. Now that Gideon was safely asleep (the sweet nurse had to reassure her repeatedly that he was in fact just sleeping, and not falling back into a coma), she could allow herself to buy some lunch. Or maybe it was dinnertime? Vera had lost track.

Entering the cafeteria, Vera found herself immediately drawn to the steaming pots of coffee standing on the far end of the counter. The vending machines in the hospital hallways could never replace properly brewed coffee, so it was a welcoming sight to her tired eyes.

The cafeteria was full of hospital staff in different coloured scrubs, with a few plain clothed mammals in-between. Walking through the sea of chatter and different conversations, one particular conversation caught her attention, making her slow down.

"… said he crouched over her, all protective-like" a young pig in nurse scrubs were whispering scandalously across the table to her bunny colleague.  
"Really?" the bunny nurse said, eyes widening.  
"Yea. Siss says he was snarling and growling like a savage, but just at the wolf-fella" The pig said, taking another a sip of her coffee before continuing.  
"You saw them lashes he had? Siss said he got up like they were _nothing_ , biting the guy right in the throat" she clamped her hoof around her own neck to illustrate.

"And the ewe was going all hysterical, screaming his name. And Tim, you know Tim right? Young deer, barely got his antlers yet. Yea, he had to like hold her down to keep her from him"

"That's kinda romantic, don't you think?" the other nurse said dreamy-eyed. "Protecting her like that"  
"I guess. But a sheep and a fox? It's weird..." she said, wrinkling her flat snout.  
"Oh, don't be so uptight. I've heard it happens all the time in Zootopia"

The pig seemed to think this over, before leaning towards the bunny with a naughty look in her eyes.  
"Oooo. I bet Gazelle has had a go at one of her dancers" she said, winking suggestively "I know I would"  
"Peggy!" her colleague exclaimed.  
"What? You're the one who just told me to not be so uptight. And I'm just saying that I would not mind being up-and-tight with one of them stripes." She winked again, making the bunny blush with embarrassment.  
"Oh my goodness Peggy, you're impossible!" she giggled, shaking her head at the grinning pig.

Standing a few feet behind them, Vera clutched her purse to her chest, her ears falling back on her head. A look of disbelief played over the vixen's face as the pieces clicked together in her mind: The time he had called for help with the pasta-pot, the reluctance to tell her who his date had been, the first name out if his mouth when he had woken up. Mary.

Mary Fields. The shy black lamb, whose parents she had had more than one uncomfortable encounter with while Gideon was still in school. The idea was so unlikely that it had never struck her as a possibility.

For a couple of moments she stood stunned in the middle of the hospital cafeteria, holding her purse to her chest. Then, reaching a decision, she opened her purse and pulled out her phone.

* * *

"Gid's Ma just called. He's awake"

Mary could not help the relived laugh that mixed with her tears as she slumped down on the hallway floor. He was awake, he was alive. The pure joy and relief that washed over her made her laugh and cry in-between each other.

"She said he wants ta see ya" Travis said, his voice sounded as if he had not slept in days, though neither had she.

Then the meaning of what he had just said started to sink in.

"His mother knows?"

"She didn't say nothin' 'bout it, but I think she's done figured it out"

Maybe if the circumstances had been different, Mary would have worried more about how his mother reacted. But right now, it did not matter.

"Can I see him now?"  
"Nah, hospital says he ain't allowed visitors till tomorrow"  
"I'll be there first thing in the morning" Mary promised, drying away what she hoped would be her last tears for a while.


	14. Visit

_Again: Thank you for your patience 3 Hope you enjoy this next chapter :)_

* * *

 **Chap 14: Visist**

Gideon woke to the steady tapping of rain on the hospital window. The room was dark, save a small reading lamp by the visitor chair in the corner of the room. It had to be early-morning; the nurses had still not started the breakfast rounds. His belly made a rumbling sound, which he assumed was a good thing since he had not had much of an appetite yesterday.

He wanted to sit up, but his head felt like it weighed twice as much as usual, and the throbbing in his shoulder did not help. He felt around with his right arm until he found the small remote control Nurse Tracy had shown him yesterday. After a few tries he managed to raise the back of the bed to the point where he was almost sitting up, though a little reclined to keep the strain of his neck.

The next project was trying to reposition the pillows behind his head, which was not easy with just one working arm and a broken collarbone.  
"Dammit" Gideon muttered as one of the pillows slipped off the bed and down on the floor. He was becoming exhausted and then frustrated because he was exhausted.

"Oh honey, let me do that"  
Vera had silently opened the door to find her son huffing and puffing, reaching over the side of his bed while trying to reach the pillow. Anyone lesser would maybe have found his attempts comical, but Vera did not.

Gideon studied his mother in silence while she repositioned his pillow and folded down his blanket. She looked better than yesterday. Her fur was neatly brushed and she had changed into a fresh cardigan. However, she had a contemplating look on her face that made him uneasy.

Vera pulled one of the visitor chairs up to his bed, sitting down with his paw cupped between her own.

"Mary is visiting today" she said softly.

Gideon first reaction was a jolt of relief and anticipation, before the small, almost sad smile on his mother's face made him pause.

Vera watched her son's reaction as she spoke. The way his eyes lit up at the news, the way his whole face seemed to relax, wiped away any doubt she might have had.

"Were you going to tell me?" Vera's voice was soft and a little melancholy, but Gideon could not detect any anger or disapproval.  
"Yea" he said slowly. "We were planin' on telling you"  
Gideon tried to read his mother's face, wary of her reaction.

Vera sat in silence. She had already had the previous evening to get used to the idea, but Gideon confirming it still affected her. It was nearly unheard of in these parts. Yesterday, after she had talked to Travis, her mind had been a muddle of worry. Now she was still worried, and the thought of her son choosing a prey, a sheep, for a mate would take some getting used to. But she had come to terms with that she would have to get used to it. If anything, they were going to need someone in their corner.

But she was not quite able to hide her reservation.  
"How long have you two..?"  
"About a month now"

Gideon knew this had to be hard for his mother to accept, but she seemed to be trying.

"Ma-" he began.  
"I'm going to be honest with you honey; it's a shock" she firmed her grip around his paw. "But it shouldn't matter, and you must know that I love you no matter what"

Vera's eyes started to tear up as she stood from her chair and embraced Gideon in a warm, gentle hug.

"I know Ma" Gideon put his good paw on his mother's back, starting to feel a little teary himself.

"My brave, brave boy, I'm so proud of you. But if you hadn't woken up I don't know what I'd do" Vera mumbled with an uneven voice into the pillow behind him.

Over her shoulder, Gideon noticed Nurse Tracy stepping into the room. As she saw Vera embracing Gideon, she gave him a soft and understanding smile, before quietly leaving to tend to the other patients first.

* * *

Mary impatiently shifted her weight from one leg to the other as she stood in the Hopps' driveway. Judy had already left with Nick in the Hopps' family lorry, wanting to stop by the Tri-Burrows police station first. The small lorry did not have room for an extra passenger, which left Mary to ride in the van with Bonnie, Stu and about a dozen of the kits that wanted to visit their favourite pie making fox in the hospital.

The Hopps van was built with rows of seats going length- wise in the back of the van, meaning you had to sit sideways. Luckily, Mary could to sit in the front with Bonnie and Stu. The worst of the concussion was wearing off, but she still got dizzy easily and suspected a drive to Central sitting sideways would make her nauseous.

She straightened her jacket for what had to be the hundredth time. She was anxious to get going, everything in her ached to see Gideon again. Though the Hopps' being there would be an obstacle, she would deal with that problem when they got there. Right now, all she could think about was getting to see Gideon again, to talk to him, to feel him and know that he was alright.

"Okey-dokey" Stu said, shutting the sliding doors of the van shut as the last kit buckled in. "That's the last of 'em"  
He jumped into the driver's seat, and meticulously started adjusting the mirrors. Stu Hopps prided himself in being a cautious driver, something that frustrated anyone that had somewhere they needed to be.

Bonnie gave some last minute instructions to Jane, who had volunteered to watch the remaining kits while they were away.  
Finally, everyone was in the van. Mary glanced at the dashboard clock, realising that it had already been an hour since she got the text from Travis saying he was on his way. With the speed Stu was keeping, they would probably not be at the hospital before lunchtime.

* * *

"I don't think she's got any paw in this"

Wolford was absentmindedly tipping on his chair with his feet on the joint desks he and Fangmyre had been offered in the quaint small-town police-department that was the Tri-Burrows police. He had loosened his tie and top buttons of his uniform shirt, his paw in his pockets while he rocked back and forth in his chair.

"She _was_ married to a Pack leader for ten years" his partner pointed out while reading through Eva Wolfskinsky's statement. They had gone to the small rented cottage where she lived in Bunnyburrow the same afternoon they arrived. The Chief had considered her a flight risk, and even if she did not have any direct involvement with The Pack anymore, she was crucial if they were going to bring Rex and what remained of The Pack down for good.

After the media attention this had received, the Mayor had suddenly decided that bringing an end to organized crime in Zootopia was his re-election sales point. In addition, the goodwill he received from the neighboring Tri-Burrows could come in handy if he ever decided to run for president. Something he found himself considering more often than before these days.

Chief Bogo had uttered some choice words about opportunistic politicians when he informed Fangmyre of the developments over the phone, but the extra subsidies was undeniably welcome.

"Oh, come on Fang" the timber wolf rolled his eyes. "Kidnapping her own son? There is no motive"  
"I'm still not ruling out the possibility she could be involved just yet" The tiger replied, turning a page in the statement.  
"You can't see past her past" Wolford accused.  
"And you can't see past a pair of pretty eyes and a fluffy tail" Fangmyre shot back, giving his partner a challenging look.

Wolford stopped rocking his chair, eyes narrowing at the tiger doing the paperwork.  
"No, I'm just trying to see the whole picture"  
"And a pretty picture it is" Fangmyre retorted calmly, though the tip of his tail did a small flick.  
"Shut up Fang" Wolford snapped, though the corner of his mouth angled up just a fraction of an inch.  
"Did I hit a nerve there Wolfy?"  
"Don't call me that"  
"What, Wolfy?"

Wolford shot out of his chair and across the desk, lounging for Fangmyre. The tiger had anticipated the move though, and just as quickly jumped out of the way, sending his chair to the floor.

Fangmyre laughed tauntingly at his friend, who pivoted where he landed to face him. Wolford leaped again, and this time Fangmyre stood still, allowing the wolf to knock him to the floor.

"You're losing it"  
"Am I?" Fangmyre retorted, before flipping over, trapping Wolford in a chokehold. "Want to repeat that statement?"  
"Aghr" Wolford gurgled as he fruitlessly tried to pry Fangmyre's arm away.  
"Tapping out?" the tiger asked tauntingly.

"Seriously! We leave you alone for three days and you're already trashing the place"

Both officers looked over to see a rather smug looking Nick standing in the door, followed by a not that amused looking Judy.

"I knocked over _one_ chair" Fangmyre argued, without loosening the grip on his partner.

Wolford tried to wrangle his way out of the chokehold one last time, before slapping the palm of his paw against the worn floor with a sigh.  
"What do you want rookie?" He asked while rubbing his neck. "Aren't you two on vacation?"

Wolford doubted that Nick would tag along with officer Hopps to Bunnyburrow for the promise of blueberries alone. The tod had a knack for getting information from others, a skill Judy, though a by-the-book excellent officer, lacked. Which was probably why she had brought him along. Wolford wondered why the Chief had not just kept her on duty and out of the way until they at least had something solid to go on.

"Can't we visit two good pals?" Nick shot back, fake hurt in his voice as he strolled over to them. Reaching their desk, he casually glanced down on the papers scattered across it.

"Apparently not" Fangmyre said, placing a big paw over the document Nick was discreetly reading.

"I brought my Mom's famous carrot cake" Judy chimed in, holding up the basket she was carrying.

"Bribes don't work here Hopps" Wolford said, crossing his arms. Though he took a long whiff of the delightful sweet smell coming from the basket.

"It's not a bribe" Judy said sincerely. "It's just carrot cake, with frosting" she added.  
"Raisins?" Wolford asked, wrinkling his nose.  
"Of course not"

Wolford hesitated for just a fraction of a second before extending his paw.  
"Alright, hand it over Hopps"

Judy handed the wolf officer the basket with a sweet smile, but not before shooting Nick a quick look of triumph.

* * *

After breakfast, which had been some rather bland porridge, Gideon sat impatiently waiting for visiting hours to begin. He eyed the clock on the far wall for what had to be the third time in under two minutes.

He was starting to get nervous. The last time Mary had seen him, he had been snarling and growling, sinking his teeth into the flesh of another mammal. Maybe it had changed the way she felt about him.

He straightened his back as much as he could manage when he heard the door handle to his room starting to turn. And though he was glad to see the mammal entering the room, it was not the one he longed for the most.

Travis stepped into the room, holding a four-pack of beer in a see-through plastic bag. Gideon had to smile; Travis never bought bags at the grocery store, but rather used the free ones by the fresh fruit and vegetable isle. Travis saw his smile, and held up the bag with a self-conscious look on his face.  
"It didn't feel right giving ya flowers mate, and a six-pack was a bit excessive, so I figured" he shrugged.  
"Thanks"  
"How ya holdin up?" Travis asked, eying his bandaged head.  
"Better" Gideon said honestly. He felt better than yesterday at least.

Travis noticed how Gideon kept looking expectantly at the door, like he hoped someone else was going to follow in behind him.

"Mary's gettin' a ride with the Hopps' clan. Can't drive with the concussion, and I couldn't exactly take her on my scooter" Travis explained.  
"Concussion?!" Gideon exclaimed. "Ma said she was fine"

"Calm down, she is. Four stiches n' a concussion, nothin' else." Travis said while holding his paws up defensively.

They were quiet for a while as Travis stood by the hospital bed, setting down the beer by his feet. Gideon was forming a question that had bothered him ever since his mother came by this morning.

"Is there talk in town? You know, 'bout me 'n Mary?"

Travis frowned, burrowing his paws in his pockets.

"'Course there is" he answered, his voice strained. "Was clear ta any pred what ya were doin: Ya were protectin' your mate"

That was the first time Gideon had heard anyone call Mary that; his mate. He had not even called her that himself, he did not know if she would like it or not. Just like marking her with his scent, it was not something that was as common among prey as among predators.

"Mammal's talk more 'bout the wolves though" Travis added, seeing the look on Gideon's face. "Two of 'em still being missing 'n all. Got two big-shot officers from ZPD trotting around askin' questions. Should be helpin' more with the search if ya ask me"

"Ya got one of 'em good though" Travis curled his upper lip to show some teeth as he spoke, which was very unlike him. "Hopefully he bled out in a ditch somewhere"

Gideon felt a cold shudder down his back. He had acted on pure instinct, and jumped right for the large wolf's neck. Even though he hated the wolf for what he had done, for the threat he had been to Mary, he hoped the police found him alive.

There was a steady knock on the door, followed by the mild features of Nurse Tracy as she poked her head inside.

"Sorry to disturb you while you have a visitor" she said as she parked her medical trolley in the hallway. "But it's time for your pain medication again"  
She came in holding a plastic cup of water and a small container with brightly coloured pills. She shot Travis a quick professional smile before climbing up the stepladder by the side of Gideon's bed.

"You feeling any changes after we reduced the dosage?"  
"Just feel like a constant headache nurse, but nothing too bad" Gideon said, swallowing back his pills.  
"Stiches bothering you?"  
"Itches like crazy"  
"Good, that means their healing" she reassured him. "Just keep yourself from scratching them. When the bandages come off you'll have to sleep with a cone to keep you from scratching them in your sleep"

Gideon did not look forward to that part.

Climbing back down the stepladder, her eyes fell on the plastic bag by Travis' feet.

"Is that beer?" She said while looking at the ferret in disbelief.  
"Hm? Oh yea, at's a gift for him" Travis nodded towards Gideon. "Ya know, instead of flowers" he said with a chuckle, finding the idea quite funny. The nurse apparently did not share his humour.

"This is a hospital!" Tracy said sternly. "And any alcohol mixed with his pain medication could be fatal"  
Travis ears fell back as the now angry nurse approached him.  
"I'm confiscating these right now"  
"But.."  
The squirrel barely reached up to his shoulders, but still managed to be intimidating enough to make him take a step back as she grabbed the plastic bag.  
"Mr. Grey can have them back after he's been discharged" she stated. She had to hold the cans in both arms like a stack of firewood to be able to lift them off the floor.

"Now, Mr…?" she narrowed her honey eyes at the ferret.  
"M-Mustela" Travis stuttered, completely taken aback.  
"Mr. Mustela" Tracy repeated, her voice cold and professional. "In the future; I would appreciate if you refrained from bringing unauthorised substances into this hospital"  
"Ye-yes Mam"  
Gideon had to clamp his lips together to keep from laughing.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back on my rounds" she quickly sent Gideon an apologetic glance before walking to the door.

Travis stood gaping, watching the nurse's thick curled tail disappearing through the door. When a couple of seconds had passed, and Travis still had not moved, Gideon carefully cleared his throat.  
"Her name's Tracy" Gideon said, unable to hide his amusement.  
"Shut up" Travis muttered, snapping his mouth shut.

* * *

Travis stood in front of the vending machine in the hospital lobby, eyeing the small rectangle pack behind the glass. The irony of getting the urge to smoke at a hospital did not escape him, but he wanted a cigarette all the same. He rummaged around his pockets for change. In his usual overalls, he knew where every single dime and bolt was, but he had not worn these jeans in months. They were his "good jeans" in the sense that they only had two permanent stains and one tear at the knee.

Picking up his pack of cigarettes, he walked out the main entrance. There was an empty bench just outside, and Travis slumped down on it, grateful that it was bunny sized so he did not have to climb up on it first before sitting down. That was always a hassle.

Lighting one, he took a deep draw from the cigarette, drawing the smoke all the way down to the bottom of his lungs. Travis held his breath, feeling the mix of menthol, tar and nicotine coat his insides, before letting it go in one big puff of smoke. He had smoked on and off since high school, though he had managed to stay clear of them for over a year now. But he could not remember ever needing a smoke as bad as he did right now.

Shit, Gideon had looked awful. Bandaged and bruised, he had a drained look over his eyes that never went away, even when he smiled. At least he had smiled. Travis remembered the angry nurse and groaned. He had no idea what had happened there, she had just taken him by surprise he guessed. At least it had cheered Gideon up to see him getting it handed to him by a bloody squirrel. Travis was certain he was never going to live that one down.

Taking another therapeutical draw of the cigarette, he closed his eyes against the remaining of the afternoon sunset. October was just around the corner, but the sun still gave some warmth.

A faint beep and the metallic sound of a door unlocking drew his attention. Just beyond the revolving doors of the main entrance was a smaller door with frosted security glass, clearly used by the hospital staff.

Travis coughed in the middle of an inhale as the same nurse, Tracy? Trixie? He could not remember, walked out, and paused to put her access card in her coat pocket.

She wore a tailored grey coat open over a pair of black slacks and a white sweater, a burgundy coloured scarf effortlessly thrown over her shoulders.  
He had to admit that she looked good. He could imagine her on one of those billboards advertising the fancy brands, like Preyda or Chamel, wearing jewellery that cost more than what he made in a year.

Travis swore under his breath as she turned around and caught him looking at her. Putting her paws in her coat pockets, she started casually walking towards him.

If hanging out with a fox for most of his free time had not made him self-conscious about his own thin and mangy looking tail, hers certainly would. It was almost as big as she was. The feathery light fur bouncing with every step she took, shining like bronze in the dull gleam of the low autumn sun.

Travis had the sudden urge to put out the cigarette he was holding. Instead he took a defiant draw, slowly letting the smoke out through his nostrils as he met the approaching nurse's gaze.

"What?" he spat. "Ya gonna confiscate my smokes too?"

"No" she replied calmly, unfazed by his rude tone. "Although, I think I would be in my right to do so" There was a hint of a smirk on her lips as her eyes quickly shifted to something above his head.

Glancing up in the same direction, Travis was greeted by a large red NO SMOKING ALLOWED sign on the wall right above his head.  
Great. What a wonderful first impression he was making today.

"But I'm off duty" she added. "And, I guess you've had a rough couple of days"

"Gid has it worse" Travis shrugged, the cigarette remaining between his fingers, although he did not take another draw off it.

"That doesn't mean you have it easy" the squirrel replied, her expression softening.  
"Whatever" he muttered, growing rather uncomfortable under her gaze. She had the most extraordinary eyes. They played in the sunshine, flickering between a warm orange and golden yellow.  
"If you need someone to talk to-" she shuffled around her pockets before taking out a small white business card. "The hospital has a trauma group that meets once a week" she held the card out to him.  
"Yea, thanks but no thanks nurse" he scoffed, eyeing the card sceptically. "I ain't the huggin' 'n cryin' type"  
"Ok" she said simply, instead laying the card down on the bench beside him.  
"In case you change your mind" she smiled carefully.  
Travis kept his eyes straight ahead, avoiding looking at her.

"Alright then" she muttered when he had not acknowledge her for a while. Burying her paws in her coat pockets again, she turned to walk towards the parking lot.  
"Have a nice evening Mr. Mustela"

Travis closed his eyes for a second, feeling thoroughly shitty. The nurse was trying to be nice, when in all fairness he had given her absolutely no reason to be.

"Hey nurse" he called after her, making her turn around again. "If ya ever need your car fixed or somethin'" he began, flicking the half-smoked cigarette into a puddle before meeting her eyes. "Come down to Beaver Dam Garage, I'll give ya a discount"  
He thought it sounded like some really lame radio jingle when he said it out loud, but at least it made her smile.

"You know, I might just take you up on that one day" she chuckled, giving him a quick wave before walking off into the maze of differently sized cars in the parking lot.

* * *

"I'm sorry Carrots" Nick sceptically eyed the bouquet of flowers he had been tasked with holding while Judy drove her parent's old lorry towards the Tri-Burrow Hospital.

"You can tell me he's a changed fox all you like. But someone who went around clawing up little bunnies in his childhood, then grew up to be crazy enough to run in and challenge three full grown- gangbanger- arctic wolves head on, has to be at least a tad unstable"

"Just wait until you meet him Nick. He's as sweet as pie" Nick sent her an unimpressed glance.  
"Really Carrots, we're doing bad puns now?"  
"Pun not intended" Judy assured him, a half smile on her lips.

Judy had to agree with her partner though. Even though Gideon's actions were recklessly heroic, and she was grateful that he had saved her friend and probably helped avert a kidnapping, she failed to understand why he would risk his life like he had. He had no kits of his own, or relatives, in school. And it was not like he had happened to be nearby. He had been safely in his bakery down in Market Street.

Gideon, the adult version of him at least, struck her like the mild type that avoided conflict as far as possible. When the kit and cub had come into his bakery, it would have been reasonable to keep them safe, call the police and stay put. Instead, according to the witness accounts she had begged Fangmyre for a peek at, Gideon had dropped everything and run like his tail was on fire.  
Judy chewed the inside of her cheek while she pondered. Nick was right, it did not make much sense.

* * *

Travis had been gone for about thirty minutes when Gideon again heard approaching voices in the hallway outside his room. It had begun to annoy him that he had so little bearing on his surroundings; he had no idea what the hallway outside looked like or where in the hospital building he was. Beside the now blue sky, he could not see much else through his window either.

The voices in the hallway drew closer, and Gideon recognised the steady chatter of Hopps kits.  
"Wait, wait. Jenny, let go of your brother's ear" Bonnie's voice carried through the chatter. "You wait her, can't have all of you barging in on poor Gid all at once" Stu explained.

Gideon's heart started beating faster in his chest. He was straining his ears to try to make out Mary's voice, and even though it was unconscious; his nostrils flared in an effort to catch her scent.

A rather unnecessary knock on the door announced their intention to enter. Bonnie and Stu Hopps walked in, the first holding a basket with jars of apple-marmalade. And then, behind them, holding her jacket in her crossed arms, was Mary.  
Gideon let out a breath he did not know he was holding as his eyes locked with hers. Apart from two patches of gauze on her cheeks, she looked unharmed.

"Oh you poor dear" Bonnie said, walking up to him and putting her basket down on the chair besides the bed.  
"How are we doing?" Stu said following his wife.

Gideon could not take his eyes of Mary. She was still standing by the foot of his bed, looking at him with her big blue eyes. Gideon thought she looked like she was about to cry, and the fact that she had not moved since she entered worried him. The way she clutched her jacket to her chest reminded him of that time at Beaver Dam Garage, when she had said she was in love with him.

"Are you alright dear?" Bonnie tried to reach through to him.  
"Yea. Sorry Mrs H, just a bit groggy, at's all" he excused, forcing his eyes away from Mary for a few seconds.  
"Of course, we won't be long. But the little ones would love to see you, if you're feeling up for it?" Stu asked, hooking one of his thumbs in the straps of his overalls, while placing the other paw on Bonnie's shoulder.

Just as Gideon was about to dutifully assure them that it would be no trouble at all, a loud metallic crash came from the hallway outside. The subsequent yelling from two of the Hopps' sisters could probably be heard through the whole floor.

"Jessica!"  
"It wasn't me!"  
"Was too!"  
"Liar!"

Bonnie and Stu were already on their way out the door, Gideon could just catch Bonnie muttering under her breath.  
"Oh, please don't be anything expensive this time"

The door slammed shut behind them, muffling the loud discussion of who was to blame as the rest of the siblings chimed in.

Mary could not move. She had not been prepared for this. Gideon looked worn and drained; it was as if his fur had lost some of its colour. He had a bandage around his head, leaving only his ears free. He had more bandages running across his chest under the green hospital gown, and his left arm rested in a sling around his neck. Everything came flooding back: The blood, the screaming, and Rex's horrid breath filling her nostrils.

Gideon could not stand the way Mary looked like she was about to unravel right in front of him, when he was unable to move out of the stupid hospital bed to hold her.

"Mary-"

That was all it took. With a shaky sob, Mary ran over to him, discharging her jacket carelessly on the floor.

Gideon did not care that his head pounded, or that it pulled painfully at his stiches. He reached over the side of the bed regardless, pulling her up into his lap with his good arm. He nestled her against his chest, holding on to her as tightly as he could manage with one arm.

"Mary, Mary- Lovely Mary" he whispered into the wool on her head, drawing deep breaths as he did.  
Mary pressed her face against his chest as hard as she dared, feeling his reassuring heartbeat against her forehead.

"I thought you died, I thought I'd never see you again, there was so much blood, and you didn't wake up and I couldn't-"  
The words flooded out of her in a breathless mishmash between sobs. The emotions had pooled up inside her over these past days as she had tried to hide her true feelings for Gideon as best as she could.

"Sssh darlin'" he soothed, though his voice was growing unsteady. "I'm alright, it's alright"  
He pulled his head away from her, placing his paw under her cheek. "Let me look at you"

Her tears were soaking the gauzes on her cheeks. Gideon ran the tip of his fingers over them, feeling a now familiar slow burning rage flickering back to life. He only allowed the flame to burn for a few seconds, before focusing back on the present.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, gently cupping one of her cheeks in his paw.  
"I should be asking that" Mary sniffled. She leaned her head into his touch, ignoring the sting the pressure caused.  
"Does it?" Gideon pressed.  
"It's nothing" Mary assured him, reaching her hoof up to the bandage around his head.  
"How about you?" She asked while running the tips of her hoofs gently across his forehead. "You must be hurting badly"

Gideon could not deny that he was in pain. His head was still spinning from the effort it had been to pull her into the bed, and sharp, white-hot pain was shooting out from his collarbone. Right now however, it was insignificant because Mary was alive and with him, and that was all he cared about.

"At doesn't matter" he whispered, burrowing his clawed fingers further into the wool on the side of her head. Mary's eyes flickered down to meet his, but before she could form the words to protest his statement, his lips locked onto hers and her mind went blank. It was like the last drop of medicine that cured the illness.

Gideon relaxed into the pillows behind him as Mary melted against his chest, carefully circling her slim arms around his neck. With a little effort, he managed to work his tail out from under the covers. He compensated for his arm by circling it around her back, embracing her with his tail.

"Well Carrots" an astonished voice sounded from the doorway, making Mary and Gideon freeze mid kiss. "I guess that explains it"


	15. Truth

_Hi! So this chapter is very much a "catching up with"- type of chapter, but it has to be written, and I hope it does not make it any less enjoyable to read. And can I just say: the response to me including more of Travis has been awesome, thank you! I have really grown to like that ferret more than I thought I would, and I'm glad to see I'm not alone in that regard ^^. Now enough of the italic. Lets start where we left of, shall we?_

* * *

 **Chap. 15: Truth**

Gideon could feel every muscle in Mary's body tensing against him. She slowly broke the kiss, eyes wide on his, searching for a sign of what to do.  
Gideon loosened his grip around her waist, giving her room to move if she wanted to, but hoping that she would stay.

Over her shoulder, he could see the intruders at the door. He was relieved to find that one of them was Judy. Even if she looked like she had just watched a pig grow wings, she was at least someone he considered a friend.  
The fox on the other hand, he had never seen before, though it did not take a lot of reasoning to figure out who he was. Nickolas Wilde, the first fox to ever join the ZPD. Judy often talked about him when she was home for the holidays.

He was wearing what looked like one of Bonnie's knitted sweaters, with the collar of a rather tacky looking Hawaiian shirt poking up at his neck. Though he looked just as shocked as Judy, Gideon thought he saw just a tiny hint of amusement in the older fox's eyes.

"Hi Judy. Hi Nick" Mary said meekly, carefully sliding down from Gideon's lap. To Gideon's relief, she did not jump down off the bed, but sat beside him, dangling her feet over the edge. Gideon kept his arm possessively around her waist, feeling a deep need to have her close to him.

"Hi.." Judy said dumbfounded. Nick on the other hand, seemed to recover more quickly and strolled over to them with his paw outstretched.

"You must be the hero-baker" he greeted, forcing Gideon to remove his paw from Mary's waist to shake his.  
"Nick Wilde" he smiled, offering Gideon a full view of his teeth.  
Even though it was custom between predators to relax the "don't show your teeth" rule when interacting with each other, Gideon still felt a rush of protective adrenaline as the other fox bared his teeth so close to Mary. Even though it was not directed at her.

"Gideon Grey, nice ta meet you finally" he greeted, matching the slim fox's handshake.

"So-" Nick took a step back pointing between the two of them with both index fingers.  
"You two been going at it for a while?"

"Nick!" Judy exclaimed, having finally come to her senses.

Mary's nose was slowly turning pink and Gideon suddenly had the need to cough.

"What?" Nick shrugged. "It explains why he came rushing to her rescue" he nodded towards the couple on the hospital bed.  
"And the smell" he added, taking a whiff of the air and sending Gideon a knowing glance.

"Now, listen here-" Gideon began, not at all comfortable with the liberties Nick was taking.

"Just stating the obvious" Nick said, holding his paws up defensively.

"I just think we're a little surprised, that's all" Judy offered, trying to ease the sudden tension, before turning to Mary.  
"How long have you two been together?"

Mary was grateful that Judy made an effort to keep her voice calm and nonchalant, but her surprise still showed.

"About a month" she answered with a shy smile, sending Gideon a quick glance, feeling her nose flush again as she thought about their first kiss in his delivery van. It had really been just a month, but right now, it felt like ages ago.

"I'm guessing you have kept it on the down-low?" Nick offered. "You're not exactly a traditional couple"

"We haven't told anyone except Travis and Gideon's mom" Mary explained, smiling shyly down at Gideon's paw resting around her waist.  
"Guess they're talkin' now though" Gideon muttered, making Mary turn around.  
"Travis told me"

"No surprise there" Nick said with a smirk, holding his hands up to illustrate the news headlines. " _Local fox-baker turns hero. Risking his life to save ewe-teacher from violent wolf attackers_. That's gonna get imaginations running"

Mary looked down in her lap again, biting her lower lip. She had not thought too much about that, her mind had been occupied with worrying if Gideon would survive at all. Now however, thinking about what other mammals would think, what they would say and do, almost gave her a headache. She had imagined taking this slow, allowing her family and closest friends the time to get used to the idea, not blowing it all up in their faces.

"It's just talk" Gideon assured her, noticing her worry. He soothingly ran his thumb over her slim arm. "They're more interested in them wolves anyway"  
He had intended to sound calm, but his voice dropped into a growl on its own accord at the thought of the wolf holding Mary, hitting her, cutting into her skin.

To Gideon's surprise, Nick sent him an understanding glance.

"Wolf and Fang are good officers, despite their differences" Judy said reassuringly.  
"They'll get them"

* * *

"Why don't you ever let me drive?" Wolford was practically sulking in the passenger seat of the police cruiser.  
"Because I have great regard for my own well- being" Fangmyre calmly replied, taking a well measured left turn onto the narrow country road.  
"Ha. Ha. Very funny" Wolford muttered, directing his attention back out the window.

The police cruiser took up the entire road they were driving on. It had been raining earlier, and the cold October sun had not yet managed to dry the muddy road. Fangmyre was grateful for the four-wheel drive, otherwise redundant in the cityscape of Zootopia. They were driving along the forest line bordering onto a large empty field just at the county border between Bunnyburrow and Yellowmedow.

"Why do we have to personally check out every tip anyway?" Wolford continued, looking out at the nearly naked trees they passed.  
"We could just send some locals, it's not like the last ten tips gave us anything" he sighed.

The good mammals of the Tri-Burrows, and Bunnyburrow especially, had not been shy in calling in tips to the police. Even the faintest hint of grey fur or sound of something reminiscent of a motorcycle engine resulted in a well-meaning, but in the end fruitless, phone call to the Tri-Burrow Central police station. And every time, Fangmyre insisted they check it out themselves.

"Because" Fangmyre explained. "One of them might be legitimate, and I don't want to risk some Howdy-Dowdy sheriff walking all over important evidence. I want to be first officer on the scene"  
"Don't let Hopps hear you talking like that" Wolford said with a smirk. "Your confidence in the local police isn't exactly impressive"  
"I'm just thorough"  
"Right."

They drove in silence until the road forked out, one part continuing along the field, the other taking a sharp turn into the forest. Wolford already had his paw on the door handle, looking ready to leap into a pursuit. Fangmyre just scoffed, the probability of the criminals still being there, if they had been there at all, was almost zero. However, he appreciated that his partner was prepared for something for once.

The road ended in a small gravelled clearing intended for hikers to park their cars on. On the other side of the clearing, a narrow forest trail continued further into the dense woods.  
"I see it!"

Wolford was out the door before Fangmyre had manage to park the vehicle. The timber wolf darted over the gravelled clearing towards some bushes furthest away from the trail, his dart gun out and ready.  
Fangmyre was hot on his tail, his own gun out just to be sure, though there was no sign of life.

When he reached the bushes, Wolford was already down on all fours, peeking under the branches and taking deep breaths through his nose. A black motorcycle was quite well concealed under the branches, the faint shine in the silver and black paint-job the only think giving it away.

"Plate number checks out" he said without looking up at Fangmyre.  
"And there's blood. Maybe three-four day's old. The techs will know for sure" He glanced up, expecting to find Fangmyre still standing behind him, but the tiger had walked past him, spotting something further into the bush. For such a large mammal, Fangmyre was impressively quiet when he wanted to be.

"Hey Wolf" he called, crouching over something in the underbrush. "What you make of this"

Wolford was over at his side, careful to not step into the scene.  
"Well shit" he said under his breath.

They were standing over the remains of what looked like a makeshift campsite. A burnt pile of firewood was arranged in a rather armature looking campfire. Beside it was a clear indentation in the moss, as if something heavy had laid there for a while. A few empty cans of tuna and crumpled water bottles lay scattered around the place.

What made the scene chilling though, was the large amount of dark dried blood staining the underbrush. Laying in the firewood, clearly having been thrown there in an attempt to burn it, was the remains of a bloodied t-shirt.

"How much blood do you recon is here?" Fangmyre asked, while getting out his cell phone. They were too far away to reach precinct one by radio, but he needed to call this in right away. It was their first solid lead in three days.

"Hard to say-" Wolford lowered himself so close to the ground as possible without actually touching the bloodstains with his nose, taking a few deep draws of the faint scent.  
"Too old, most of it has seeped down into the dirt" Wolford got back up, scanning the area with keen eyes. "But I doubt the bastard's conscious"

"Hm" Fangmyre had gotten a long stick, which he used to lift the remains of the bloodied t-shirt out of the firewood. The tiger took one quick whiff of the fabric, before wrinkling his nose, holding it up to Wolford.  
"You smell that?"  
"Yea" Wolford confirmed. It was faint, almost covered by the sour scent of fire and smoke, but most defiantly there. "That's an infection alright"

"A nasty one" Fangmyre added, examining the shirt hanging from the stick. It had clearly been used as a make shift bandage. In between the bloodstains and burnt patches, the remains of a green-yellow puss stained the once grey fabric.

"You radio it in to Tri-Burrows" Fangmyre said while carefully lowering the shirt into an evidence bag. "Get some decent techs out here, if they have any"

Wolford rolled his eyes, but dutifully trotted over to the car. Fangmyre already had his phone to his ear.  
"Hey Ben, it's Fangmyre. Is the Chief available?"

"Chief" he greeted after a short silence. "Found Rosky's bike. Seems like they've been camping in the woods at the county border. Substantial amount of blood here, Wolford doubts he's conscious. So safe to assume we're looking for two wolves on one bike if they haven't gotten a hold of another vehicle, though nothing has been reported stolen so far."

He walked back to the car in silence as he listened to Bogo's reply.

"Of course. APB's went out to the local hospitals on Friday evening already. If I have to guess, they're probably trying to get back to Tundratown. And they're not stupid enough to go back through Bunnyburrow and the Tri-Burrows, my guess is they'll try to go round"

Fangmyre fished out the Carrot-pad from the pocket behind the driver's seat, getting a map up on the screen.

"Yea, looking at it now" he confirmed, zooming in on the Tri-Burrow area. "If they go through Yellowmedow, there's a network of smaller side-roads through the Valleys that would lead them into the E12 tunnel on the north side of the city. If they chose that route, they'll enter the City at Fishtown. Delegato and Grizzoli staking out the home? Any activity at all?"

He nodded, before shaking his head.

"No, they came by earlier this morning. But have, rather surprisingly I must add, stayed out of our fur"

Wolford sent him a quizzical look. He would not define nagging them until they got to look at every single witness-statement as "staying out of our fur".

"Sure Chief, I'll keep you posted" he hung up, slipping the phone into his chest pocket.

"You got through to Tri-Central?" he said, turning to Wolford.  
"Yea, they're sending a team now" Wolford answered, still squinting at the large tiger.  
"What?" Fangmyre asked with an annoyed look on his face.  
"You call poking through our files: staying out of our fur?"  
"It was a good carrot cake" Fangmyre shrugged. "And no harm done"

"Hold up!" Wolford overdramatically threw his paws over his head. "The meticulous Maximilian Fangmyre deviates from protocol! The world will surly come to an end!"

"Shut up Wolf" Fangmyre shot his partner a disgrunteled look, though as usual he could not completely hide his smirk. Walking around the cruiser, he reached into the booth for the crime-scene kit.  
"Here" he said, throwing Wolford a big roll of yellow crime-scene tape. "Go make yourself useful"

Wolford jumped up and elegantly cached the roll flying over his head, putting two fingers to his forehead in a mock salute.  
"Right away Sir!"

Fangmyre shook his head, smiling into the boot of the car. Picking up a smaller suitcase from the crime-scene kit, he began examining the graveled clearing, looking for a set of motorcycle tracks.

* * *

"So, your name isn't Benjamin?"

Ellie sat with her paws neatly folded over the skirt in her lap. Her mother had insisted she wore something nice, and had herself put on a cardigan and a golden brooch she usually only used for birthdays and holidays.

Now Sarah was in the kitchen with Ellie's baby brothers, talking with Eva in a shooting tone that carried through the small cottage like a pleasant murmur.

"No" Ben said silently. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of her, fiddling with one of his toy cars.  
"It's Benny, but everyone just calls me Ben" he said, putting the car down on the carpet, which depicted a simplified map of the Zootopia road network.  
"You can still call me Benjamin if you like"

"Ben is easier I guess" Ellie smiled. "And you call me Ellie, even though my name is Elise, so it would only be fair"

"Yea" Ben kept his eyes on the car, avoiding meeting her eyes.

They had not talked since Ellie had dragged him into Gideon's Bakery. In the first days that followed, some cops had visited them from Zootopia. They had asked him and his mother a lot of questions, which had left him really exhausted at the end of it.

Thankfully, they had not been back for a couple of days, and he hoped he would not have to talk to more police for a while. The uniforms and cars always made him think if his dad, and however much he tried to be a big wolf, it always made him sad.

Now that he was sitting before Ellie for the first time since Friday, he felt even worse. He was reminded of what a coward he had been. Had it not been for Ellie, he would still have been hiding under that bush in the schoolyard, and Rocky would certainly have found him. Then again, if he had just come out at once, Miss Mary would not have been hurt, and that friendly baker that had given him cookies at the market would not be in the hospital.

"I'm sorry Ellie" he said, still not looking up from the carpet.  
"What for?" Ellie asked surprised.  
"For what happened" Ben said simply. "Wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been here in the first place"

Ellie quickly slid down from his bed, sitting down beside her friend on the road-map carpet.

"It's not your fault" she assured him. "It's your uncle's fault, that's what mom says" she assured him. "Some mammals are just bad, and will always be bad. You can't blame yourself" Ellie said, repeating her mother's words.

Ben nodded slowly; he had to agree with some of that at least. Rex had always taken pride in living up to the big-bad wolf image, and Ben doubted that would ever change. Still, he could not shake the feeling of guilt that had settled in his stomach.

The young bunny sitting beside him looked down on the small toy car in front of them. Ellie reached out and carefully picked it up. Weighing the car in her paw, she turned to Ben with a careful smile as an idea popped into her head.

"Hey, wanna show me where you lived before?" she asked, nodding down to the carped they were sitting on.

For the first time since she had arrived, Ben looked up and met her eyes.  
"Yea, sure" He said with an unsure smile on his snout.

Ellie gave him back the toy car and scooted off to the edge of the carpet, letting Ben set the car down on one of the many highways leading into the city.

"We used to live in the middle of Tundratown. It was great, right by the Fishtown-market" he began, directing the car through Savanna Central towards the white that marked the beginning of Tundratown.  
"Have you ever had fish? It's so awesome" he continued, the events of the past days slowly fading to the back of his mind.

"Bunnies don't eat fish silly" Ellie said, wrinkling her nose as she laid down on her stomach beside him on the floor.  
"Huh, I've seen a sheep eat fish once" Ben shrugged as the toy car entered Tundratown.  
"No way, really?" Ellie asked in disbelief. "Sheep eat fish in Zootopia?"  
"Yea" Ben smiled, amused by Ellie's big shocked eyes. "At least that one did"  
"Wow" Ellie mumbled, making a mental note of it. She would have to ask Cousin Judy about it when they got back from Central.

"About here" Ben said, parking the car outside some generically drawn brick buildings by an ice-skating ring. "We had a whole big townhouse, and we would go skating and eat fish-sticks after" he said with longing in his voice.  
"Sounds real nice" Ellie admitted, though the thought of eating fish still made her wrinkle her nose. "I've never skated before"

"What?" Now it was Ben's turn to be surprised. "Never? What do you do in winter?"  
"We just play in the snow" Ellie shrugged. "The river's never safe enough to go skating on"  
"You know what" Ben said, getting up on his elbows. "If- if I can move back again, you should come visit. We could go skating, and I could show you the igloos downtown"

"Yea, that'll be so much fun!" Ellie agreed. "Just don't expect me to eat fish" she added, sticking out her tongue at him.

Her expression made Ben snort with laughter, which again made Ellie giggle. Before long, both the kit and the cub were rolling around on the floor, respectively shrieking and howling with laughter.

* * *

The sun had set beyond the soft hills that seemed to be everywhere in this monotone landscape. Stars had begun to sparkle across the sky, and the moon, almost full, was shining on its dark canvass. The last gleam of the pink sunset had disappeared before Dexter dared to roll his motorcycle back out on the road.

On any other night, he would have howled his heart out at the moon, as beautiful as it was tonight. It usually helped relieve any worry he had, helped him think clearer even. But he could not risk it, nor did he want to tonight.

Rex sat slumped over the front of his motorcycle, sweat making his fur cling to his damp jacket. At least the bleeding had stopped, but the alpha was awake for shorter and shorter periods, leaving the young Dexter much to himself.

"Come on boss" Dexter pleaded, trying to place the big wolf comfortably in front of him on the motorcycle. He kicked it to life, quickly turning of the lights as he drove down the stretch of country road cutting through the soft landscape around them.

He could see the faint lights of a town somewhere in front of him, and hoped he could find an easy way around it. His phone had died a day back, and he had no idea where Rex's phone was. During the last call he had made back to base, Roxy had instructed him to take the long way around, and stay out of sight. But with his boss looking worse by the hour, he was doubting if he would be able to make it.

"Hang in there boss" he said through the cold roaring wind as he speed up down the road, securing a paw around the large dark wolfs middle.  
"Just hang in there a little longer"


	16. Lone wolf

Patience is a virtue, and you people are the best! Thank you for sticking with me, and to new readers who has come here from Zootopia news network: Welcome! I did wonder why my reader stats suddenly peaked, what a lovely surprise!

* * *

 **Chap. 16: Lone wolf**

Mary put her toothbrush back in her duffle bag before sipping it up with a hurried eagerness. The doctor had given her the all clear to drive, and with Gideon awake, there was no question as to where she would drive first.

Flinging the bag over her shoulder, she closed the door to her old room in her parent's house behind her. She was aching to get to her car and drive back to Central. The visiting hours would begin in less than an hour, and she intended to be there on the dot.

As she turned the corner to begin descending the stairs, the sight of her mother at the bottom of the stairs made her slow down. Susan had a concerned look on her face and her hooves buried in the front pocket of her apron.

"Mary, can we talk to you for a moment?"

Even though she was well into her twenties, the demanding voice of her mother still made Mary nervous. Her father was standing behind her, looking rather uncomfortable.

"Ok…" she said, shouldering her bag. "Is it gonna take long? I promised to pick up Travis in time for hospital visiting hours"

Her parents shared a concerned glance, and Mary knew from the way her mother sucked her cheeks that she had found the motivation behind this staircase intervention.

"Look, Mary" her mother begun. "I know you are grateful he saved your life, believe us; we are too. But these frequent visits-"  
Her mother nodded her head at her father, encouraging him to join the conversation. Bill cleared his throat.

"Sweetie, we know you, and we know you'd never do anything inappropriate, but there's talk in town and-"

"We just don't want to see you hurt" her mother offered.

"What talk?" Mary tried to sound unassuming, but she knew very well where this conversation was heading.

"That you and that fox-"  
"Gideon" Mary corrected.

"- Gideon, are, well"  
"Romantically involved" her mother helpfully completed.

Marry swallowed, looking from her mother to her father. This was probably as good as a chance she was ever going to get to break it to them gently. She felt like she was ten years old again, coming home late for dinner and having to explain that she and Judy had lost track of time. She took a deep breath, knowing that what she was about to say was probably going to stir up a storm.

"Mom, dad-"

"Sweetie, you don't need to explain yourself" Bill interrupted comfortingly, laying a hoof on his wife's shoulder. "Your mother and I are not accusing you of anything"

"Oh heavens, no" her mother chimed in. "But we thought you needed to hear this from us, before there is permanent damage to your reputation"

"What?" Mary blinked, looking at her mother in disbelief.

"Well, you are a teacher Mary, responsible for a lot of impressionable young children. You understand that if this rumour gets to spread freely-"

"The rumour that Gideon and I are a couple?" Mary said, feeling a new flash of rebelliousness.

Her mother got a disgusted look on her face, her mouth shrinking as Mary spoke.

"Yes, appalling and absolutely ridiculous as it is"

"What we are trying to say here sweetie, is that maybe you shouldn't visit him as often as you do. I understand that you want to show your gratitude, but best not fuel the fire, so to speak" her father explained.

"Thank you for your concern" Mary said, feeling her jaw tighten. "But I do what I want, regardless of small town gossip"

It was a line that would have been better suited for Judy, but Mary felt that it for once applied to her as well. She would not let anything come between her and Gideon, not now that she had him back. But the courage to tell her parents had left her with their reveal of what they would think of the match.

She knew she was just prolonging the inevitable, but she could feel the frustration and disappointment beginning to ball up at the back of her throat, threatening to make her cry. Mary quickly stepped past her parents, hurrying out to her car.

Bill and Susan was left baffled at the bottom of the staircase by their daughter's uncharacteristic behaviour. Watching Mary drive down the driveway, Susan hooked her arm in her husband's arm. Bill gave her hoof a comforting pat, but was not able to shake the feeling that there was something he was not seeing.

* * *

Travis could tell Mary had been crying, and recently too, though he did not mention it. They spent the drive to Tri-Central in complete and relatively comfortable silence, only broken by the muted songs playing on the radio.

Travis figured his own bloodshot eyes were beginning to look prominent anyway, and was grateful for everyone who did not comment on the fact that he looked like he needed sleep. It was not as if he did not try, but every night ended up in the same way, with him smoking cigarettes through his bedroom window.

The hospital hallways seemed endless as usual, with nurses and doctors hurriedly walking past them. Here and there, medical trolleys and seemingly random seating groups with coffee machines broke the white monotony.

When they began to walk down the hallway that led to Gideon's room, Mary almost began to run, forcing Travis to pick up his pace to keep up.

As Mary and Travis entered his room, Gideon sat up in his bed, which in itself was great progress. Mary practically jumped into his lap, taking him by surprise. Not that he would ever complain, but Mary was usually very cautious when visiting him now, after Nick and Judy walked in on them the first time.

Gideon gently put his arm around her, sending Travis a questioning look in hope for some explanation. Travis just shrugged, careful to close the door behind him. His friend had been caught red handed twice, and there was not going to be third time as long as he had something to do with it.

"My parents" Mary explained, leaning into the good side of his chest with a sig.

"You told 'em?" Gideon asked a little surprised.

"Almost, but they- they warned me that there was talk in town, and I shouldn't go visit you so often, because it gave the "wrong impression" "

"Oh" Gideon breathed. They had known that was one of the most likely reactions, but it still did not stop him from feeling disheartened by it.

" _Appalling_ was the word my mom used" Mary added bitterly, feeling Gideon's paw soothingly stroking over the curls on her head.

By the door, Travis leaned against the wall, looking down on his feet. He was not surprised; he had known from the start what kind of reception this kind of relationship would get in these parts.

"I'm sorry, I should've told them right there, but I just took off" Mary apologised. "I'm such a coward" she mumbled.

"No darlin', if there's one thing you ain't, it's a coward" Gideon said, placing a careful kiss on her forehead.

Mary smiled up at him with sad eyes, she wondered if she would ever get the courage to tell her parents, or anyone else for that matter. Maybe it was just as well that the rumour got to spread freely, it saved her the trouble of actually telling anyone. Still, she would have to deal with a couple of confrontations, and with how she had handled the one with her parents, she doubted those would go any better.

"There's someone comin' " Travis said, his ears angled on his head. Sure enough, Mary could hear steady footsteps approaching the door.

Mary quickly slipped down from the bed just as the new visitors knocked on the door, hurriedly straightening her shirt.

"Morning country folk!" Nick greeted as he entered the room behind Judy, who were carrying a basket with warm cinnamon buns. Upon seeing Mary standing at an awkward distance from Gideon's bed, trying to look inconspicuous, Nick could not help but chuckle.

"I ain't seeing what's funny here" Travis mumbled at the fox's back, not liking his attitude even if he had only heard him speak one sentence.

Nick's ears perked up at the unexpected voice behind him, and turned to find a lanky ferret in worn jeans and baggy T-shirt leaning against the wall by the door. The dark, almost black fur around his eyes made the bloodshot veins on his sleep-deprived eyeballs stand out even more.

"Well Slinky" Nick said, ignoring the slight twitch in the ferret's upper lip. "Those two are trying to act like there's nothing going on here" Nick nodded towards Gideon and Mary. "But any fox can smell what's really happening when no-ones looking" he added with a suggestive smile.

"Ya need ta watch your tongue _Slick_ " Travis spat back, matching the name-calling.

"Ok! Nick, why don't you find us some coffee? Hmm?" Judy quickly intervened before things could get out of hand.

"Is that an order Officer Hopps?" Nick asked, never losing his slightly teasing tone of voice.

"It may become one" Judy said, crossing her arms. Though she would never admit it, she enjoyed that she was Nick's senior officer, especially since he was older than she was.

"Right, coffee it is. I guess Slinky here takes his black and bitter" Nick said while shooting Travis a sideways glance, making the ferret sneer.

Nick turned towards Gideon and Mary with a questioning look on his face.  
"Uhm, milk please" Mary said, a little taken aback. "And two sugars for him"

Nick raised a suggestive eyebrow at the fact that Mary knew how Gideon took his coffee, but managed to keep from commenting on how coffee typically was an early morning beverage.

"So, how are you feeling?" Judy asked as soon as Nick was out of the door.

"Stressed, to be honest" Gideon chuckled. "Bakery's been closed for a week now, and I haven't started preparing for neither Halloween or the Harvest festival, or the Christmas Market for that matter!"

"Gid, no one's expecting ya ta do all 'at" Travis said, his shoulders relaxing again now that Nick had left the room.

"Maybe not, but at's when I make most during the year. I can't skip it" he sighed. "Honest, I don't know if I'll have time for it all. The Christmas market I guess I'll manage, but the Harvest Festival and Halloween? Not a chance if I have ta stay in bed all day"

"But you have Elliot to help you out?" Judy offered, knowing her cousin would gladly step up to the task if he got the chance.

"Nah, he's a good kid, sure. But he ain't able ta run things alone" Travis said. "I'll help him clear up, if he haven't already" he offered.

"And I'll come by after work every day when you open again, help as much as I can" Mary promised, giving his paw a light squeeze.

Gideon's first thought was to insist that they did not have to go out of their way to help him out, but he changed his mind. It would be easier with a little help after closing, preparing the frostings and such. He knew from experience that Elliot would need someone to tell him what to do before he got to it himself. True, as Travis said he was a good kid, worked hard as long as someone told him what to work hard on.

"Thank you" he said instead. "That really means a lot ta me guys"

"It's no trouble" Mary said, mimicking Gideon's usual response. The twinkle in her blue eyes as she said it made Gideon smile. The last week had not allowed for much humour, and he sorely needed it.

"Don't mention it" Travis shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of it.

A soft knock on the door drew their attention. Mary took an appropriate step back from Gideon's bed, folding her hooves on her back as the rust-coloured head of Nurse Tracy poked through their door.

"Is this a bad time? I just need to check on your stiches" She asked politely.

"Not at all" Gideon smiled. He had grown to like Tracy best of all the nurses during his stay. She was polite but effective, never wanting to engage in useless small talk and always acted respectful. Unlike some of the other nurses that who either talked too much or was so nervous when tending to a predator that their paws shook uncontrollably.

"Rather crowded in here today" Tracy remarked, shooting Judy and Mary friendly looks.

"Nice to see you again Mr. Mustela" she said politely as she passed Travis.  
"Mornin'" Travis managed, careful to keep his eyes on the floor in front of him.

Tracy elegantly scaled the small stepladder by Gideon's bed. She was wearing a small satchel with rubber gloves and extra bandages, which allowed her to have her paws free when tending to larger mammals. She quickly got to work on checking the stiches at the back of Gideon's head and on his chest, carefully applying pressure to the sides of the wounds to see if the stiches still held.

"This looks very good" Tracy said as she put the gauze back over the healing gashes.

"Any chance of getting out 'little afore my time Nurse?" Gideon asked, the endless to-do list that had to be completed before the Harvest Festival running through his mind.

"I can't promise anything Mr. Grey, but doctor Erasmuson seemed very positive" Gideon kept his eyes on the squirrel-nurse expectantly. "Maybe already this Monday" she finally added.

"That's great news" Judy smiled at Mary, who quickly nodded, trying her best to seem just the right amount of happy. Just happy enough for a friend or acquaintance, but not as happy as a girlfriend would be.

"As I said; I can't promise anything, but you look to be healing well" Tracy repeated as she climbed down the small ladder.

As she passed by Travis on her way to the sink, her tail brushed against his arm and shoulder, making the poor ferret go rigid. Thankfully, no one noticed as Nick chose that moment to barge back into the room.

"I have returned victorious in my quest!" Nick exclaimed as he entered the room, pushing the door open with his elbow. Tracy, who were washing her hands, looked up in surprise as the second fox entered with bravado.

Nick held a tray of coffee cups from the cafeteria in his paws, and before Judy managed to draw his attention to the nurse by the sink, he had started handing out coffees.

"Officer Hopps" He said with a mock bow as he handed Judy her coffee, before working his way through the room.

"Slinky" He said with a smirk. Travis snatched the coffee from him, almost spilling it. He wanted to give the smooth- talking city fox a piece of his mind, but managed to bite his tongue. The only thing that held him back was the fact that Tracy was within earshot.

"Here you go Gid" Nick continued, handing Gideon his cup with a wink. "Black 'n sweet, just how you like 'em"

Travis promptly chocked on his coffee, sending him into a coughing fit. Mary's nose was gradually turning cherry red, and Gideon's mouth hung open as he tried to figure out a response.

"Hahaha! Foxes and their inside jokes, am I right" Judy nervously laughed, directing Nick's attention towards the slightly confused Nurse Tracy.

Nick's face only showed his surprise for a split second, and Judy doubted anyone but her noticed how the expression crossed over his face before it was replaced by a calm smile and hooded eyes. The Slick-Nick face, as she had come to call it.

"I'm so sorry Nurse, I didn't see you!" He strode over, a paw to his chest in feigned embarrassment. "How absolutely rude off me"

"I'm Officer Nickolas Wilde, but please call me Nick" he managed to sound just the right amount of flirty, holding the nurse's smaller paw in a very gentle handshake. "And what do I call you, Miss?"

"Tracy" she replied. Judy could swear she saw the squirrel blushing.  
"And I know who you are, Offic- I mean Nick" she corrected as Nick shot her a playful half-smile. "It's quite the honour to meet you"

"The honour is all mine" Nick replied smoothly. "You have probably saved more lives already through your work than I ever will"

Behind them, Judy rolled her eyes. If he kept up these clichés, he might as well run for office.

"Well, I do my best" Tracy smiled, straightening her back proudly.  
"And we are forever grateful for your efforts" Nick said, laying his other paw over hers, which he was still holding in the handshake.

Travis felt his upper lip twitch as Tracy beamed up at the fox towering above her, looking at him as if he was some kind of hero. Which, though Travis did not want to admit it, he was. His stupid smirking face had been all over the news together with Judy back after the Night howler affair. Travis had not thought twice about him back then, even been happy on Gideon's behalf that a fox was shown doing something good for once.

Now however, he wanted to punch that fox right in the face.

"I'll have to get back on my rounds, but it was nice seeing you all" Tracy excused, sending everyone in the room a quick smile. Travis barley managed to lose his scowl before Tracy's eyes met his as she gave him a quick smile and nod.

As the door closed behind her, everyone in the room let go of collective sigh of relief, though one for a different reason than the others.

* * *

"Heard from the tech guys yet?" Fangmyre asked, looking up from the crime scene photos taken at the campsite by the county border.

"It's been under 24 hours, not even our techs work that fast" Wolford replied, irked by his partner's impatience.

"Hmpf" Fangmyre sniffed. "Any movement at the stakeout then?"  
"For crying out loud Fang, I briefed you on that fifteen minutes ago: Nothing!" Wolford sighed, throwing his paws over his head.

"Do you want me to call Delegato and ask if anything new has happened in the past fifteen minutes? Mh?" He challenged the tiger sitting across from him.

Fangmyre threw the photos down in frustration, before pinching the bridge of his broad nose.  
"No, no, Sorry Wolf. I just feel like they're slipping away from us, you know?"

Wolford shrugged, loosening his already loose tie.  
"Don't see where they'd slip away to. If, as we suspect, we are talking about two large arctic wolves on one motorcycle, one of them badly injured and unconscious… Well, they're not exactly inconspicuous. And it's barely been a week yet"

Wolford threw a glance at the folded calendar hanging on the wall right under the - he suspected antique- clock. As he wondered if he could just as well discharge of his tie completely, the old goat from the reception came huffing through the door to the office area.

Mrs. Clover was well beyond her retirement years, but that was a fact that both she and the rest of the Tri- Burrow police department completely ignored. Fangmyre had made an offhand comment that the old goat probably had come with the building.

Now she was hurrying over to the two city cops with such haste that her reading glasses which hung in a silver chain around her neck, bounced on her chest.

"Officers!" She huffed, coming to a stop against their shared desk while clutching a hoof to her chest.

"We just got a call from Yellow-Med"

"Yellow-what?" Wolford asked.

"Yellowmeadow Medical Hospital, sir"

"Quite the mouthful" Wolford remarked.

"Yes, please carry on" Fangmyre prompted, sending Wolford an annoyed glance.

"Two wolves matching the APB came into the emergency room this morning; one of them just came out of surgery"

"And they didn't think to call us before NOW?!" Fangmyre roared, jumping out of his chair. The other officers in the office, mostly herbivores, looked up nervously. "It's almost noon!"

"Local police are already on the scene sir" Mrs. Clover added calmly, impressively not even slightly fazed by the angry tiger now towering above her. Wolford had to hand it the old goat. He was impressed.

"Wolf!" Fangmyre had already brushed past Mrs. Clover on his way out. Wolford quickly picked up his uniform jacket, giving the old goat a quick nod as he rushed after his partner.

"Sirens?" He asked as they jogged across the parking lot.

"Yes! I swear if we're trapped behind some tractor…"

"Can I drive?" Wolford could not keep his tail from wagging excitedly.

"Absolutely not" Fangmyre had already jumped into the driver's seat, flipping the switch in the roof that controlled the red and blue police lights.

* * *

A donkey in a deputy uniform greeted the two ZPD officers as they approached the hospital room the bunny at the front desk had directed them to.

"G'day officers" he got up from the folded chair he had been sitting on. "They're in here"

"What?" Fangmyre said in disbelief. "You have both suspects in the same room?"

"Well, not alone 'course" the deputy said, not seeing the problem. "Two of our own officers be in there with 'em, and the big 'un is out cold anyways" he shrugged.

"I can't believe this" Fangmyre muttered as he passed the donkey, opening the door into the hospital room.

Inside the small room, the bed took up most of the space. Maybe Rex had been unconscious the last time the deputy had checked on him, but he was awake now. His cold yellow eyes studied the room he was in, noting every detail. As soon as Fangmyre and Wolford entered the room, his head spun over to face them, his face cold and expressionless.

At the foot of the bed. Two ram officers were standing at each side of a seated Dexter. The young wolf looked like he had not slept or showered in days. Some nurse had taken pity in him and tried to clean his wounded ear, but it had already began to heal and would probably scar badly. Fangmyre realised that the young wolf had nothing on under his jacket. It had probably been his shirt they had found in the fire, burned after he had tried to use it as a bandage on his boss' wound.

Dexter's paws lay handcuffed in his lap, which made Fangmyre mutter some inaudible curse. Any rookie in the ZPD knew that larger mammals, and especially predators, should always be handcuffed with paws on their back.

"Thank you officers" he said in his most authoritative voice. "We'll take him from here"

As they walked over to retrieve the Dexter, there was a clatter from the hospital bed as Rex tried to sit up. The handcuffs secured him tightly, making it impossible for him to move much.

He glared at the young wolf as the tiger officer led him towards the door. Rex smugly noted that the two ram officers still stood at a safe distance from the bed, eyeing him nervously.

"Boss…" Dexter began, trying to approach the bed as he passed, but the other officer, timber wolf, if Rex was not mistaken, held out a paw to stop him.

"You brought me to a hospital? You idiot!" Rex snarled at Dexter, who seemed like he would have backed away again had not the tiger held him in place.

"You-you would've died boss" Dexter tried to explain.

"I'd rather die riding free, and you know it!" Rex snarled at the young wolf. "But you'd have me die collared and caged instead?"

"No, never, I-"

"You betrayed me" Rex spat, before adding in a lowered voice: "You betrayed your pack"

Wolford could feel the fur on his neck beginning to stand up. He suddenly became very aware that he was in the presence of an Alpha. True, this was not his Alpha, and a criminal none the less, but Rex seemed to tower over them even as he lay shackled to the bed.

"No boss, I swear-" Dexter tried to take a step closer to the bed again, only to be held back by Fangmyre.

"Don't you boss me! I raised you boy!" Rex snarled, straining against the handcuffs once again. Then, a dark cloud of determination settled over his forehead. His snarl disappeared, instead replaced by a cold, almost stoic expression. His ears still lay flat against his skull, his eyes cold and merciless on Dexter.

Dexter seemed to recognise the expression, because he tensed and slowly began to shake his head.

"No" he croaked. "No, boss please"

Fangmyre glanced over to Wolford to see if he could get some indication on what was going on, but his partner seemed just as transfixed on Rex as Dexter was.

"I'm not your Alpha, you have no Alpha" Rex began.

Fangmyre noticed Wolford closing his eyes for a brief second, before turning his attention back to the room. Dexter's reaction was immediate, the desperation making his voice pitch several octaves.

"No! Please! I'll do anything!"

"You have no pack, you have no home"

"No" Dexter whimpered as Rex continued the incantation.

Wolford tried to keep a straight face, but knew his discomfort showed. He had only ever read the words, never heard them spoken aloud. Yet he knew the words by heart. He suspected there was not a wolf on this earth that did not.

"You are a lone wolf, and alone you will roam"

The last sentence hung in the room as Dexter almost sunk to the floor. Fangmyre's strong paws was the only thing holding him up at that moment.

The two ram officers watched the whole scene in confusion, not quite understanding what they had just witnessed. Silence filled the room for several long seconds; Dexter's quiet sobs the only sound cutting through the silence.

"Come on" Wolford finally muttered. Putting a paw on the young wolf's shoulder, he led both him and a slightly confused Fangmyre out of the room.

* * *

"What just happened back there?" Fangmyre asked after they had put the now docile Dexter in the back of the police cruiser.

Wolford looked up at the bleak blue sky, letting out a long breath. "He got banished from the pack"

"Huh" Fangmyre scratched the underside of his chin. "Well, being banished from a crime ring might turn out to be good thing in the long run, don't you think" he added with a crooked smile.

"It's not just The Pack, Fang" Wolford sighed, turning his eyes back to his partner. "It's _his_ pack, and their territory. He can never return to it, never contact anyone in the pack. I don't know all the members in this particular pack, but it wouldn't surprise me if it includes several of his family members" Wolford glanced back at the cruiser, pity shining through his usually carefree demeanour.

"The lad just experienced about the worst a wolf can experience. He probably lost every friend he's ever had in a matter of seconds"

Fangmyre gave a low whistle. "I didn't know you guys still did that"

"Traditions, call it what you want. You don't mess with your pack, and there are some lines that should never be crossed."

Fangmyre nodded, but he honestly thought the whole thing sounded positively medieval.

"Don't you guys have something similar, like a pride or whatever?" Wolford asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"That's lions" Fangmyre said dryly.

"What's the difference really" Wolford muttered, knowing very well what reaction that comment would result in.

"Don't you start that again…" Fangmyre said, only managing to sound half- threatening.

"Just saying, stripes, manes, what's the big dea-OW!" Wolford exclaimed as Fangmyre's strong paw collided with his shoulder, though not nearly hard enough to knock him over.

"Come on, we need to get this one locked up, and get a special transfer out here for the boss" Fangmyre patted Wolford on his shoulder, before walking around the parked cruiser.

As they drove back towards The Burrows to finalise the paperwork allowing them to bring Dexter back to precinct one, Wolford kept glancing up at the young wolf in the rear view mirror.

Dexter was staring blankly at his handcuffs, tears silently flowing from his eyes. His left ear hung in tatters and the fur under his biker jacket was grimy and dirty. At that moment, Wolford did not see a cold-hearted gang-member, but a teenager that had suddenly lost everything that gave his life meaning.

* * *

Travis put the last refilled container of sugar back on the shelf, taking a final look around the bakery's kitchen. Out in the front Elliot was running a cloth over the tables, turning down the chairs and making sure all the candles were new.

Travis could not think of anything else he could do, and pulled the list Gideon had scribbled down out of his back pocket. They had refilled all the containers, cleaned every appliance. Short of picking up the new flour delivery at the mill, they had checked off every item.

"Right, I'm off" He said as he walked around the counter. "I'll get the flour at the mill ta-morrow, drop it off here after work"

"Great! Thank you Mr. Travis" Elliot beamed. Travis did not even bother to correct him; he guessed that if Gideon could not make the kid stop calling him boss, Travis should be content that he at least used his first name.

As he made his way to the front door, he rummaged through his unfamiliar jeans for his pack of cigarettes. Instead, he pulled out a small white business card that made him stop in his tracks for a moment.

Elliot watched curiously as the ferret held the card in his paw, caressing his thumb across it, seemingly deep in thought. Then, with an audible scoff, he closed his fist around it, crunching the card into a ball before tossing it in the nearby dustbin.

"See ya kid"  
Travis gave Elliot a quick wave over his shoulder, pulling the pack of cigarettes from his other pocket. He lit one up on his way out the door, drawing the smoke all the way to the bottom of his lungs before slowly letting it go. He really needed to get some sleep soon.

* * *

 **The Pack banishment:**

 _I am not your Alpha, you have no Alpha  
You have no pack, you have no home  
You are a lone wolf, and alone you will roam._


End file.
